


Luke Everlasting

by homeiswheremyhorseis



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: 1910s, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Tuck Everlasting setting, Angst, Bittersweet Ending, F/M, M/M, Slow Build, Team as Family, happy endings only for my sweet boy alex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27915541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homeiswheremyhorseis/pseuds/homeiswheremyhorseis
Summary: Music has been too painful for Julie since the death of her mother. But in the summer of 1910, just as the future seems set to march irrevocably into their quiet part of California, everything changes. She meets the three members of a band called the Phantoms, who tell her that they drank from a spring that made them immortal.Julie and the Phantoms AU based on the plot of 'Tuck Everlasting' by Natalie Babbitt.Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19X8UoctH155Th9DP820KN?si=3PEgi270Qhewgoncd7JlTg
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie & Willie, Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn & Julie Molina, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Luke Patterson & Sleeves
Comments: 17
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

_Treegap, California_

_14 th June 1910_

For wind chimes to be musical, Julie reasoned, they needed a breeze. And they wouldn’t be getting one buried under two feet of earth.

She’d muddied the hem of her dress so badly it might not be wearable anymore, and her hands were caked in the telltale dirt. When her father asked (or worse, her aunt), she would have no reasonable explanation.

And it wasn’t reasonable, she supposed, to have buried every set of wind chimes the Molinas possessed. But she was far past that point. Anything remotely musical reminded her too badly of her mother. And so they’d all stayed in that remote cabin in the Wilsons’ woods, every last instrument: the tambourine, the harpsichord, the fiddle. The piano. And since she’d frozen up in front of all those people yesterday, even the wind chimes had to go.

Carrie would have told the whole town by now. Her aunt would know, and soon so would her father. Julie pictured the disappointment on his face when he found out what she’d done (or rather, not done), and for the first time she felt a pang of guilt for the wind chimes.

She could at least make herself presentable. Julie smoothed over the last chunk of earth with her foot and ran inside, shaking off her skirts as she went. By some miracle she avoided both her father and her brother Carlos, and managed to get to her washstand and lace herself into a clean dress just in time for her name to be called.

‘Julie! Come here, Julie, will you?’

‘A name can get worn out, being called so much,’ she muttered as she went back down the stairs.

‘Yes, Papi?’

‘There you are.’ Her father smiled at her from their dining table. ‘Your tía will be here for dinner later. Could you run down to the general store and pick something up?’

Julie rolled her eyes. ‘I know, no leftovers in front of Tía. All right, I’ll head over.’

‘Thank you, mija. And tell Carlos if you see him, will you?’

Julie nodded. ‘He’ll be thrilled.’ She picked up a basket and laced up her shoes, kissing the top of her father’s head as she left.

Treegap was as stiflingly small as always. She stepped out onto Main Street (also known as Only Street), trying to avoid any put out glances as she made her way over to the general store. Everyone in Treegap knew her, which meant that everyone in Treegap knew she was a failure.

The journey there was safe, but once she’d left with a fresh chicken wrapped in paper and a bottle of ginger wine, her luck had run out. Miss Carrie Wilson herself was out and about, and of course she was on the arm of her much lovelier fiancé.

‘Look, Nick!’ A voice rung out, falsely bright, and Miss Wilson was looking straight at her. ‘It’s the town disappointment!’

Julie muttered a curse under her breath. Applying a false smile of her own, she approached the two of them.

‘How’s things, Carrie?’

‘Miss Wilson,’ said Carrie, her small nose turned up in disdain. ‘I’d say things are good, Miss Molina, but as you know, we’re all recovering from a shock. Our town fair is not to have a performance after all.’ She laughed. ‘Apart from mine, that is.’

‘Come on, Carrie,’ said Nick quietly. ‘You know they got that circus troupe instead. Nobody will be missing out.’

‘No, I guess not,’ said Carrie. ‘Better to have nothing at all than a girl who stands up to sing and stays mute, right?’

‘Is that your plan, Carrie?’

Relief hit Julie to see Flynn approaching them, wearing a look of pure wrath.

Carrie choked out another laugh. ‘Miss Flynn! Thank goodness you’re here. I wanted just to _beg_ you not to come.’

‘It would be my pleasure.’

They shot each other winning smiles, an image so unsettling that Julie was unsurprised when Nick began to usher Carrie away. ‘Nice seeing you girls,’ he called back to them, as though he really meant it, and Julie’s heart – despite itself – turned over.

Flynn took her arm and together they walked back down Main Street. ‘Don’t tell me you’re _still_ holding a candle for that boy?’ she whispered harshly.

Julie sighed. ‘He’s sweet.’

‘He’s _boring_. And tainted. What was that about a circus?’

‘Something they booked to replace me, I guess,’ said Julie. ‘I couldn’t sing in rehearsals. They’ve kicked me out.’

‘Oh, _Julie_ ,’ said Flynn, pulling away her arm to face Julie properly. The disappointment on her face hurt Julie more than anyone else’s.

She fixed her gaze on the ground. ‘I just can’t do it. It still hurts too much.’

They were silent for a moment.

‘This morning I buried the wind chimes.’

‘You _what_?’

A laugh bubbled out of Julie. ‘It’s silly, I know. I just didn’t want to hear any music.’

‘You know this means we’ll just hear more of Carrie’s?’ Flynn wrinkled her nose. ‘Carrie’s song, Carrie’s dancing, _Carrie’s woods._ I’m amazed she didn’t work that in somehow.’

Julie sighed. ‘We had some good times there, once, didn’t we?’

‘Once. Besides, haven’t you heard what they’re doing with the land? Carrie’s dad wants to make a _second Hollywood._ They’re cutting down all the trees.’

‘They’re _what_?’

Flynn studied her face. ‘You didn’t know?’

‘No! How could they do that? Do they know how old those sycamores are?’ Julie was shaking with rage, so much she almost dropped the basket. She held it with both hands, some dim part of her brain wanting to protect the chicken.

‘No. And I doubt they care. I’m sorry, Jules. I thought everybody knew by now.’

‘But that means… what about Mom’s cabin? Where she wrote all her music?’

Julie was panicking now. She pushed the basket at Flynn, who just about managed to take it. ‘I have to go. Drop this round for my dad, will you?’

Hiking up her skirts, she ran out of Main Street and all the way to the edge of Treegap. She passed the blacksmith’s, the cobbler’s, the farm. It didn’t take her long to reach the Wilsons’ woods.

She ran deep into the trees, through spaces both familiar and unknown in her haste to get there right that moment.

‘Might as well not have changed,’ she muttered to herself as she ran, wiping a hand across her forehead. ‘Two muddy hems in one day.’

Eventually she reached the cabin. It was just as it always was, just how they left it; cosy and low-ceilinged and full of songs. Beside the hearth, Julie knew, was a full basket of firewood. It had been a long time since anyone had lit a fire.

She didn’t go in. She was never quite able to muster the courage. Instead she paced around its outskirts, twisting her hands, deep in thought. How could Mr Wilson want to get rid of these woods?

A breeze picked up. Julie sighed. There were wind chimes here, of course there were.

And, alongside them, she thought she heard the twang of a guitar string.

Julie froze. She tried to slow her breathing, to tune out anything that wasn’t coming from the cabin. She heard it again – the few discordant plucks that signified someone tuning a guitar, and then a chord. Another.

She knew. Even before it could possibly have been certain, she knew. That was one of her mother’s songs.

Tears rushed up unbidden. She brushed them away with her sleeve and sat shaking for a moment. The next thing she knew, the music had stopped.

She gave herself a moment more to collect herself. Then she stomped back up to the trees.

‘You’re imagining things, Julie,’ she muttered. ‘Mom isn’t there. Nobody’s there.’

Sitting down on a low tree stump for a moment, she caught her breath and tried to steel her nerves. The cabin was there, at least. There was no rope, no note or sign to suggest it would be demolished. Her mom and Robert Wilson had been friends once. Maybe he wouldn’t knock it down. Maybe, just maybe, he’d keep the cabin as a memento of their friendship. Of the shining force Rose Molina had once been, for Treegap and Los Angeles and beyond.

She couldn’t hear music anymore. All she could hear was the breeze, the slow trickling of a spring nearby.

‘There was no one there, Julie,’ she whispered to herself again.

Her father had often tried to talk to her about how he still heard her mother. She hadn’t thought he’d meant it quite so literally.

After a long exhale, Julie stood up and brushed down her skirts again. Lifting her chin, she kept her pace steady as she made her way home.


	2. Chapter 2

It was six o’ clock in the morning, and Julie was wide awake.

‘How could I have been so stupid!’ she hissed for the fifth time that morning, butting her forehead with her palm. ‘Someone could have _broken into the cabin_!’

Getting any more sleep now was hopeless. There were too many fears buzzing in her head: what if there was someone hiding in there? A fugitive, maybe? Someone nosing around and spoiling all her mother’s instruments as though they were toys?

The basket Flynn had brought back yesterday was downstairs, no longer a vessel for the precious chicken. Julie’s mind raced for a moment. Then, having come to a decision, she flung back her sheets and pulled a shawl over her nightgown.

She tiptoed downstairs. They didn’t have a bat or a rifle, so she went into the kitchen to retrieve a rolling pin. Then, on second thoughts, she took down the wooden cross that hung over their mantel and put that in the basket too. Just in case.

They were well into June now, and the early morning sunlight was already strengthening. Taking a deep breath as she stood at their threshold, shooting one last glance back at the house where her father and brother slept, Julie stepped out.

The nightgown had seemed an adventurous detail in her bedroom. Out here, she wasn’t so sure. But there was no turning back now. If she went back upstairs she’d lose her nerve entirely.

Nobody else was on Main Street this early, though she could hear people at work on the surrounding farms. Julie passed through Treegap and much of the woods undisturbed. She took a slightly longer path by the river, hoping that the familiar sounds of the lapping water, where her parents used to take she and Carlos swimming, would give her extra courage.

She reached the cabin. Today there was no music, no tantalising strums or opening chords.

She stared out at it, confused and a little irritated. She hadn’t ventured out with her nightgown and a rolling pin to be met with silence.

‘Maybe I _was_ just imagining Mom,’ she murmured, brows dipped in a frown. But she remembered the strings being tuned, the slightly unsure sound to the first few notes. Wouldn’t an imaginary song sound perfect from the beginning? And really, hadn’t her mother always favoured the piano?

Julie shook out her wrists, steeling herself. ‘We’re going in, Julie. We’re gonna do it. Come on.’

After a moment more, she marched decisively towards the cabin.

The door was locked, but she knew exactly where to find the key. Under the flowerbox of dahlias that sat on the windowsill, tucked between the grooves on the bottom. With another deep breath, she slid it into the lock.

The cabin was quiet and still. Julie crept further in, her eyes adjusting to the gloom, and winced at the familiar creak of the floorboards. She put the basket in the crook of her arm and held the rolling pin aloft.

‘Empty,’ she muttered. ‘But… different?’

She threw back the curtains. The sight made her gasp.

Someone _had_ been there. In fact, someone had made themselves at home. Her mother’s instruments were all intact – pristine, even – but there were more now. Guitars, several kinds of drum, a banjo. Men’s shirts in varying degrees of shabbiness were thrown over the furniture, and loose sheafs of paper littered the surfaces like wind-blown leaves.

Julie’s knees shook. The worst possible scenarios presented themselves to her: were they thieves? Criminals? Didn’t they know that Robert Wilson was going to get rid of these woods?

Apparently everyone else did.

She backed out of the cabin, slipping the spare key into her basket. She should regroup. Find her father, find Mr Wilson if she had to, tell them someone was in Mom’s cabin. Maybe then they should retrieve the instruments and bring them home, like her father kept asking her to.

She lowered the rolling pin.

Outside, she tried to calm her breathing as she walked back into the woods. She had been fortunate to come by with the strangers gone. Or maybe it was abandoned now? Luckier still.

She huffed out an angry sigh. She knew she’d been a little reckless, but mostly she was angry. How dare they touch her mother’s things?

And beneath the anger, she was full of grief.

Her thoughts were erratic, her nerves scrambled. She paced through the trees without much thought for where she was walking. When she next looked up properly, she realised she was in danger of getting lost.

She could hear that spring again, burbling calmly nearby. Maybe a drink would clear her head.

She followed the sound, picking her way through unfamiliar trees. There were walnut trees here, and thick oaks whose branches seemed to touch the sky. The spring sounded almost hypnotic – so beautifully calming.

Why had she never been here before? It was so quiet and peaceful, with nothing around but the trees and wildflowers and –

A guy.

A guy dressed in clothes twenty years out of fashion, kneeling beside the spring to take a drink. In silence, Julie lifted the rolling pin again.

She tried to advance closer, and stepped on a twig.

The guy turned. A _cute_ guy. No, Julie admonished herself, she would not find this strange guy in the woods cute –

‘Hey,’ he said.

‘Stay back!’ she yelled. She brandished the rolling pin, and he stepped back with his hands up, palms facing her. His smile was replaced with a look of alarm.

‘Whoa, whoa! Would you put that thing down?’

‘Who are you?’ demanded Julie. ‘What are you doing out here? Were you in my mom’s cabin?’

‘Your _mom’s_ cabin?’ He looked confused. ‘What are you—’

Julie heard a rustle, and two more guys stepped into the clearing. Their clothes were equally old fashioned, their hair floppy. She made a menacing gesture and soon they looked equally alarmed.

‘Who _are_ you!’ she said again.

The three of them moved together. One of them, whose blond hair was the floppiest, cleared his throat. ‘Would you put the rolling pin down? Please?’

Julie’s heart was still hammering. She stared at them for a moment longer, but since they looked about as scared as she felt, she relented. ‘How did you get here?’

‘We live here,’ said the one with green eyes, the first she’d seen. He was smiling at her again, the look disarming. ‘Or – we did. We kind of travel around now, I guess.’

‘Here? In Treegap?’

‘Yeah. Just outside of Hollywood.’

The last of them gave her a cocksure smile. ‘You may have heard of us? We go by the Phantoms.’

The other two shot him irritated glances. Julie got the impression he wasn’t supposed to say that.

‘I haven’t. Sorry. Are you the guys who’ve been squatting in my mom’s cabin?’

‘Squatting?’ He looked hurt.

The one in the middle stepped forward. ‘Look, I don’t know about it being your mom’s cabin,’ he said. ‘If it is I’m sorry. We’re sorry. We – we lived here a few years back.’

Julie was suspicious. ‘How long ago, exactly? You’re, what, seventeen?’

The blond one smirked. ‘Most people think we’re older. But yeah, I guess you could say we’re seventeen.’

Julie kept staring.

‘A while,’ said the middle one eventually. ‘Look, why don’t you come back to the cabin and we can explain? And we’ll figure out this thing with your mom.’

After a moment, Julie put the rolling pin back in the basket. ‘Alright.’

He smiled at her. ‘We didn’t get your name.’

‘Miss Molina. Julie.’

He kept smiling, looking at her as though it was the nicest name he’d ever heard. ‘I’m Luke. And…’

‘Reggie,’ said the self-proclaimed Phantom, giving her a little wave.

‘And…’

‘Alex, nice to meet you,’ said their friend, giving her a brief handshake.

‘Tada,’ said Luke. Julie tried very hard not to be charmed.

‘You don’t have surnames?’

‘Luke does,’ said Reggie.

Julie was too tired to ask. ‘Alright. Can you move, though? I want to get a drink first.’

‘No!’

The three of them yelled it at once, and formed a line between Julie and the spring. She was so baffled she was tempted to regain her weapon.

‘What’s the big deal? I’m thirsty.’

‘You don’t want that water,’ said Luke, looking almost afraid.

‘Why not? I saw you drink it.’

Reggie put his arm out. ‘It’s – it’s poisoned.’

Julie lifted her eyebrows. Once again, the other two shot him looks of pure disdain.

‘I’m not feeling so great,’ said Luke loyally.

‘You don’t look sick.’

‘Hey,’ said Alex. ‘You don’t want to catch some stomach thing.’ He grimaced. ‘Believe me.’

Julie was beginning to rethink her decision to go to the cabin with them. They may be cute, but they were definitely weird.

In the distance, they heard hoofbeats.

‘Guys, come on,’ said Luke. ‘It could be him. We gotta go.’

‘Could be who?’

‘Uh, an old friend,’ he said. ‘Julie, would you come with us? Please? We’ll explain it all at the cabin.’

The hoofbeats grew louder.

‘Alright,’ she said, but she kept the rolling pin in her hand.

The four of them raced back to the cabin. Before they left, she noticed Alex kick a leaf-woven basket over the spring, hiding it among the flora.

She ran with them, all the while very much regretting the nightgown. She sent fleeting glances over her shoulder, in the hopes of learning what they could possibly be so scared of.

The boys reached the cabin and flung open the door, exhilarated from their apparently lucky escape. Reggie stepped into the middle of the gloomy room and gave her a little bow.

‘Welcome, Julie,’ he said. ‘You’re in the hideout of the celebrated Phantoms.’


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who left kudos, and especially to those who commented! This is my first time posting and it really means a lot. Thanks again <3

Julie was amazed at how quickly these three guys had settled themselves in her mom’s cabin. And just how much they seemed to be at home.

Luke had a misshapen couch in one corner that Julie recalled seeing, but didn’t think anyone had ever actually _sat_ in. Reggie knew all the floorboards that could be pulled up and used as hiding places, handing her an old Coca-Cola truck that had once belonged to Carlos. And Alex turned out to be the owner of the little rowboat that had long sat anchored on the river.

They gave her breakfast, at least. The hot cakes were more sugar than batter, but they filled the gnawing hole in her stomach. As they ate she looked around, trying to figure out what was going on, and whether she was right to have stopped feeling scared.

The very moment they’d finished, the boys swung their chairs round to sit in a tight little semi-circle and looked expectantly at Julie.

She raised her eyebrows. ‘So. Who were you just running away from?’

They exchanged glances.

‘Do you know a man named Bobby Wilson?’ asked Alex.

‘Bobby? Do you mean Robert? Mr Robert Wilson?’

‘Ooh, he’s _Robert_ now,’ muttered Reggie.

‘Yeah,’ said Luke, quietly intense. ‘Yeah, that’s him.’

‘Of course I know him. I mean, in Treegap, everybody knows everybody. But our families used to be friends. He and my mom; his daughter and me. He’s the one who told my mom she could write music here.’

Luke’s mouth was turned downward in an expression of anger that was almost comical.

Alex leaned a little closer. ‘Used to be?’

Julie nodded. ‘We… I guess you could say we don’t really see much of each other anymore.’

Alex looked as though he understood. ‘Well, same here. He’s an old friend of ours.’

‘How is that possible?’

He hesitated for a moment. ‘Julie, we’re older than we look.’

‘Alex, we can’t tell her about the spring!’ said Reggie in a stage whisper.

Alex paused for a moment and turned to him. ‘Reggie,’ he said, acidly, ‘I didn’t even mention the spring.’

Luke cleared his throat. ‘I guess it might be more accurate to say we _don’t_ get older. Not anymore.’

He held her gaze. Julie looked between the three of them.

_They’re crazy,_ she thought. _They’re all crazy._

‘I wouldn’t believe us either,’ he went on. ‘But that’s why we’re here. We knew Bobby before he got all that money in the gold rush. This was where _we_ wrote music once.’

‘And do you intend to stay? Now you know it’s ours too?’

There was a moment of silence. The three of them looked at each other.

‘If you want us to go,’ said Alex, reluctantly, ‘we’ll leave.’

The other two gave her solemn nods.

‘It was risky coming back here anyway,’ mumbled Reggie.

‘How often does your mom come here?’ asked Luke. ‘We haven’t run into her yet.’

And there it was. She felt the blow she’d known was coming.

Julie looked around. Even with the three agents of chaos she seemed to have run into, the cabin was painful to be in. She couldn’t look at the piano; she knew it would make her cry.

She was quiet for a moment. ‘It was you guys who played one of her songs yesterday, wasn’t it?’

‘We didn’t play the whole song,’ Luke clarified hastily. ‘It kind of felt like it… wasn’t for us.’

‘It was a great song, though,’ said Alex. ‘Your mom’s really talented.’

The words sat heavily in the room.

‘She was,’ said Julie quietly.

Immediately she saw the horror in their faces; the regret.

‘We are so,’ said Luke, ‘so, sorry.’

‘We didn’t know,’ Alex murmured. ‘Sorry for your loss.’

‘It’s alright. And thank you.’

‘Do you play the piano too?’ asked Reggie.

‘No. This is all my mom’s.’

Julie stood up. She walked around the main room of the cabin, taking a longer look at the boys’ instruments. They were clearly well loved. Some of the guitars had things etched into the wood; tangled bits of string poking from the top showed just how many times they’d been tuned.

‘Can I hear you play?’

‘Yeah,’ said Luke, quickly blinking back his surprise. ‘Guys, come on. _Now or Never?_ ’

Alex and Reggie nodded. They picked up their instruments and got into place so quickly and fluidly it seemed they could do it in their sleep.

When they started to play, Julie found herself nodding along. It was a heavier sound than she was used to; the beat was fast, attention-grabbing. All three of them could sing. They were… good.

She clapped for them when they finished, and they gave her exaggerated bows.

‘Normally we don’t stick around after we play,’ said Reggie. ‘You’re an exclusive audience, Julie.’

‘I’m flattered,’ she said, dryly. ‘I gotta say, I’m… _kind_ of impressed.’

They beamed.

‘Alright. So you guys are kind of good. But I still have some questions.’

They nodded and put their instruments down.

‘So you’re telling me that because you and Robert were friends, this cabin once belonged to you?’

‘Not exactly,’ said Reggie. ‘It was always his. But he used to play here with us.’

Julie nodded. That kind of made sense. Carrie had got her love of performing from her dad, and a lifetime ago, they’d often talked about music with Julie and her mom.

‘And you’re trying to tell me that you and Carrie’s dad are the _same age_?’

‘I wouldn’t put it that way,’ said Luke, his face scrunched up in distaste. ‘I mean, we knew him back then, yeah.’

Julie raised her eyebrows at him. ‘And this apparently has something to do with that spring?’

The three of them looked at each other.

‘You wouldn’t believe us if we told you,’ said Luke.

‘I probably won’t.’

‘Uh, shall we sit?’ suggested Alex.

They crowded round the dining table again as before, with Julie on one side and the three guys on the other.

‘Listen,’ said Alex. ‘First off, you have to promise not to drink from that spring, alright?’

Their gazes were all fixed intently on her. Uncertain, Julie nodded.

‘When we first drank from it, we didn’t realise what had happened. But the water was like none you’ve ever tasted. It was so clear, so refreshing… We all felt stronger, somehow.

‘For a while it was like nothing had changed. After a few months we realised our nails weren’t growing. We stopped needing haircuts. None of us will ever have to shave.’

Julie frowned.

‘Then there was… an incident. We all should have died, but we didn’t. People got suspicious. Mainly Bobby. We had to start faking stuff so they wouldn’t think we were cursed. But then everyone saw Reggie fall out of a tree—’

‘Hey,’ Reggie mumbled.

‘—and get up without a scratch, and it was pretty much the end. We retraced our steps and the only thing that made sense was the spring. Bobby wasn’t there; he was getting older. And we weren’t. We don’t.’

‘We’re never gonna get older,’ said Luke quietly.

Julie looked at each of them. ‘When – when was that?’

He swallowed. ‘1885.’

Julie put her arm on the table and leant her forehead in her hand. There was something strange in her gut that didn’t want to believe it. Because if she did, if they were telling the truth, that meant –

‘If Mom had gone there,’ she said, ‘she would never have died.’

They looked stricken.

‘Is that what you’re telling me?’

A long moment passed. Eventually Alex nodded.

‘But Julie, she would _never_ have died,’ he said. ‘Not ever. She would have seen you and your family grow old and die while she stayed the same. She would probably have been thrown out of town. Don’t you see?’

Julie was overwhelmed. ‘I need a minute alone.’

Luke got up and put his hand on the others’ shoulders. ‘Guys, come on.’

Shooting her final glances, the three of them left the cabin.

She sat for a long while in the silence, trying to keep her breathing steady. Of course, it was still possible that they were crazy.

Was it possible to be nice and make up something that ridiculous? To believe in it, even? If they had made it up, knowing what she’d just told them about her mom, then they had to be cruel. But Julie was convinced that _they_ at least believed it.

She wasn’t ready to decide if she did. To decide what that meant for her mom.

They obviously cared about music. Maybe it could be nice to have the cabin used for that again.

Julie stood up and let out a long exhale. There was no harm in looking at her mom’s songs again, at least.

On the mantelpiece was an old song of theirs, the one the boys had started playing yesterday. She ran her hands over it for a second, feeling something in her chest expand.

Finally she walked over to the piano. On the top of it was something untouched. Something new.

Julie’s heart sped up. There was no mistaking that it was a song for her.

A mixture of emotions hit her all at once. At the surface was guilt. It had been almost a year, and not once had she visited the cabin. If she had, she would’ve seen this song a long time ago.

But she was curious, and her heart lifted to see some piece of her mom that was still left to discover. It was here, waiting for her, ready.

Julie hesitated.

When that familiar urge hit her, to place her fingers on the keys and see what they could do, she sat at the stool.

Faintly, she mapped out the chords.

The shape of the song took root in her mind. Tears threatened to form as she read the lyrics, but she nodded, understanding what her mother had meant for her to do.

Finally, for the first time in almost a year, Julie leant over the piano. She played the opening chords, and began to sing.


	4. Chapter 4

Luke, Alex and Reggie sat by the river, tossing in pebbles to watch the ripples grow. None of them spoke.

A sombre mood had come over them. Every so often they glanced back at the cabin, half expecting Julie to come out any minute and tell them to remove their things. They’d come back to Treegap hoping for nostalgia, and instead had been hit with something far more bittersweet.

Around them, the breeze whistled through the trees.

As they sat there in the quiet, the first of the notes made their way to them. They heard the piano, confident, joyful.

They heard Julie begin to sing.

Exchanging glances, the three of them stood and moved a little closer to the cabin.

‘Is that Julie?’

Reggie was shushed almost soon as he’d begun speaking. He huffed and folded his arms.

It was, of course, Julie. They advanced as close as they dared, until they could just peek in through one of the windows.

‘She’s amazing,’ whispered Alex.

They watched her in silence, too transfixed to move. It wasn’t until Julie reached the end of the song, smiling gently over the piano, that the potential privacy of the moment really registered.

When Julie gathered up the papers and stood, they found themselves scooting back along the river to stand nonchalantly beside the willow trees.

She spotted them on her way out, and slowed.

‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Hey.’

They replied with varying degrees of normality.

‘I need to think about whether you can stay here,’ said Julie carefully. ‘Is that okay?’

‘Yeah, of course,’ said Alex. ‘Do whatever you need to do.’

Julie looked at them for a moment longer. They gave her blank expressions in return.

She offered the slightest hint of a smile, and left.

They waited until she’d disappeared among the trees.

‘I think she likes us,’ said Reggie, beaming.

‘Let’s hope she likes us enough to let us stay,’ said Luke. ‘Why do you think she didn’t tell us she played piano? And she can _sing_?’

Before Alex or Reggie could form a reply, he added, ‘Do you think she’d join the Phantoms?’

* * *

Julie had meant to talk to her dad about what she’d seen in the cabin, but in the end, she couldn’t do it. All she could tell him was about the song she’d found, and how, finally, she’d found the strength to play it.

That had been a good evening. There was a celebration in the Molina house; Carlos was at his most charming, and their tía brought over some food that was not leftovers. Julie almost forgot about the three sort-of squatters.

Flynn was delighted too, and her delight instantly turned – as Julie knew it would – into a bout of good-natured intensity. That very day she began a town-wide campaign to give Julie her performance slot back. But the circus was booked and the money had changed hands. It was too late.

‘Why couldn’t you have found that song _yesterday_?’ Flynn had complained, half serious.

Julie knew what she meant. The timing did seem particularly unfair. Now that she’d started singing again, part of her did wish she could get performing back, too.

When the town fair rolled around, she tried to put the thought out of her head. She wouldn’t be playing; she had to accept that. Maybe the circus would be good.

When the evening was starting to draw in, Julie, Carlos and their father left to meet Flynn and her parents on Main Street. Julie rolled her eyes to see the deep pink sash tied to Flynn’s muslin dress, an exact match to her own. Flynn gave her a smirk and took her arm.

‘I’ve told you, Flynn,’ she said in a low voice. ‘Double Trouble is not happening.’

‘Well, it isn’t with that attitude. And if you think this is bad, you should see what Carrie’s troupe are wearing. Daddy paid for them all to look _splendid_.’

Julie laughed and rolled her eyes.

Daddy had paid for quite a lot, it seemed. The path skirting the woods to the Wilsons’ house had been lit with hundreds of low-burning lamps, casting a warm glow over the trees.

‘Isn’t that kind of a fire hazard?’ said Carlos behind them, and Julie privately agreed.

The Wilsons’ house was a grand colonial, all white walls and columns. Their yard was cocooned by sycamores, a meander of the river marking a natural boundary, and here dozens more lanterns hung among the foliage.

Since Treegap didn’t have much of a town square, the very outskirts of the Wilsons’ yard had come to fulfil that role. Most of the community events were planned by Carrie, anyway, and her mother before her. At the edges of a dirt-packed lawn were dozens of stalls, selling everything from hot dogs to little tin music boxes. Carlos immediately dashed off to look at the cotton candy machine, and Ray followed.

Julie and Flynn milled around the square, watching the circus set itself up. At the end of the square was a small wooden stage, and being loaded onto it were several heavy, clunking boxes.

‘No way!’ Flynn dug an elbow into Julie’s side. ‘Isn’t that guy really famous?’

‘Where?’

Flynn pointed. ‘He’s a magician or something. He’s supposed to be incredible.’

Julie caught sight of a man in a suit of deep purple velvet. His top hat was no longer completely in fashion _– like those guys in the woods_ – but it suited him, and gave his costume a delicious sense of the theatrical.

‘I don’t recognise him,’ she said. But she frowned. He caught her gaze, tipping his hat with a courteous smile, and she felt a strange pull in her gut. _Was_ he familiar, or just incredibly charismatic?

‘You will after tonight,’ said Flynn.

‘Well,’ said Julie, ‘at least they replaced me with something good.’

‘Jules, they won’t even compare.’

She smiled.

But before they could get to the magic, they had to watch Carrie. She and four of her friends glided onto the stage in sequinned dresses that threatened to put the pink sashes to shame.

‘Hope y’all are having a good time!’ she called, and was met with a cheer. Julie and Flynn exchanged looks, and without a word they walked to the hot dog stand.

Loath as they were to admit it, Carrie was good. She could hold a crowd, and how she managed to dance quite so energetically and sing at the same time was a mystery. Especially in a hobble skirt. After they’d been handed their hot dogs they found themselves standing to watch.

But Julie’s attention was soon caught by something else. Stepping through the trees beside the river, dressed in shabby shirts an inconspicuous brown, were three familiar figures. Her eyes narrowed.

Each of them carried a scrap of black silk. It took her a few moments to figure out that they were domino masks, the kind you might wear to a costume party.

Julie bit back a smile, shaking her head a little. They really were committed to this Phantom thing.

Carrie’s group finished performing, to a round of thunderous applause. Carrie laughed and waved it off.

‘Thank you so much!’ she called. ‘I’m so blessed every time I get to perform for you guys. And coming up next, fresh out of Hollywood, we have Caleb Covington and his troupe!’

At this there was more applause, even Flynn joining in.

‘Yes, _such_ an honour! And at such short notice! For that, I guess we all need to thank Julie Molina. Maybe next time, huh, Julie?’

Julie’s gut turned over. Carrie’s eyes met hers, and she gave her a sparkling smile.

‘I will _kill_ her,’ muttered Flynn.

‘Don’t bother,’ said Julie quietly. ‘We knew she might do something like that.’

‘Well, I’ll let you go,’ said Carrie. Her group began to descend from the stage. ‘Thank you all just _so_ much, again!’

Carrie looked like she was going to head over.

‘Flynn?’

‘On it,’ she said. ‘Hide.’

Julie darted to the edge of the fair, hot dog in hand.

And ran straight into Luke.


	5. Chapter 5

‘Oh!’ said Julie. ‘Hey!’

‘Hey,’ said Luke. ‘Is that a hot dog?’

For some reason he was frowning at it, as though its existence personally offended him.

‘Yeah, why?’

Without warning, he took it and threw it into some shrubbery nearby. ‘Trust me,’ he said. ‘You’ll thank me later.’

Julie gaped at him. ‘You really _are_ crazy.’

‘I’ll buy you something else,’ he said. ‘Hey, what was that girl talking about just now? About you being the reason they booked Covington?’

Julie’s scowl deepened. ‘Oh. That. Well, I… _I_ was supposed to perform tonight. But I kept clamming up. Until I found Mom’s song, actually.’

‘What, so they took your slot away? But you’re _amazing!_ ’

She stared at him. He shifted a bit.

‘Okay, so we heard you yesterday. Julie, you’re _really_ talented. That should be you up there.’

Julie huffed, looking out at the fair for a moment. She wished he hadn’t thrown away her hot dog.

She caught Flynn’s eye. Flynn was stood with Nick and Carrie, looking questioningly between her and Luke, her eyebrows almost at her hairline.

Julie gave her a nervous smile and looked back at Luke. ‘Well, now the whole town thinks I’m a flake,’ she said. ‘They wouldn’t let me perform again anyway.’

He looked at her for a moment, his gaze intense.

‘Then perform somewhere else,’ he said finally. ‘Show them what they’re missing.’

‘What?’

From a shirt pocket he drew out a crumpled flyer. He pressed it into Julie’s hand.

‘We’re booked in Pasadena next weekend.’ He pointed to the top of the flyer. ‘You should come with us. Play at the end of our slot.’

‘They won’t have a piano,’ said Julie doubtfully.

His eyes brightened. ‘Then let _us_ play for you.’

‘I don’t know…’

‘Think about it,’ he said. ‘Anyway, come find me later. I owe you some cotton candy.’

Luke pushed the flyer back into his pocket and retrieved the domino mask, tying it over his eyes. He gave her a quick wave before disappearing back into the crowd.

Julie watched him go, smiling a little despite herself.

Flynn was next to her a moment later. ‘Who was _that_?’

‘It’s… I’ll explain later.’

Flynn shot her a suspicious look. But before she could question further, a hush fell over the crowd.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ came a low, thrilling voice.

The stage was deserted – until, in a puff of smoke, it wasn’t.

Gasps went up from the crowd. All of a sudden the stage was full of people, bright lights shining out, more purple velvet hung as a backdrop. There were dancers in vibrant costumes and a whole host of jazz musicians. And there was Caleb Covington himself, commanding the crowd just as much as Carrie had, moving between the dancers as though they were ethereal.

The song they opened with was smooth, attention-catching. Even after Caleb finished singing, the saxophones continued to blare out reprise after reprise as he dazzled the crowd with tricks. Julie managed to catch sight of Luke, Alex and Reggie, all wearing their domino masks, and the three of them looked begrudgingly impressed.

_Tricks_ didn’t seem the right word for it. The very air seemed to shimmer as objects appeared and disappeared. Caleb and his dancers seemed to glide above ground. Julie was baffled, trying to watch carefully for any slight hint of the mundane, but their performance was flawless.

Caleb announced a brief intermission. Then onto the stage, dressed in a similar suit of a more muted purple, came a young man. Julie’s eyes widened. He was the first person she’d ever seen to have a pair of roller blades strapped to his shoes.

His long black hair was loosely tied up, and part of it fell across his forehead as he gave a sweeping bow. Then he skated across the stage to disappear behind a black silk curtain held up by two women in costume.

A shiver of unease rippled through the crowd as the boxes at the corner of the stage were opened. An attendant pulled out a long, thin sword and several throwing stars, passing them to Caleb. Another lit a long torch, and the sharp smell of napalm became tangible even above the fried food.

Sword in hand, Caleb stepped to the front of the stage. He surveyed the audience with supreme confidence, his mouth curving into a smile.

‘Are you ready to see the veil between life and death?’

There was a hush over the crowd now. Even the whirs of the popcorn machine had fallen silent. All eyes were on Caleb and that rippling curtain of black silk.

In shadow, a man began to hit out a slow, urgent rhythm on a pair of drums. Two women with trumpets blew out high, squalling notes. The drumming grew faster.

Caleb stood, his profile visible to the audience, throwing star poised in his hand. As the music reached a crescendo, he made an impossibly quick motion and threw the star at the curtain.

It seemed to vanish. All that was left was a single tear, slicing a scar into the surface of the fabric. Gasps went up from the audience.

Caleb threw the second star. Again, it seemed to disappear into the ether.

A third, then a fourth. By now the silk curtain offered the slightest glimpses through its rips, purple velvet visible through the black.

Caleb took up the sword. Julie felt sick. In several long, brutal motions, he sliced into the curtain and shredded it to pieces.

Julie thought she heard a muffled gasp. A sound, something slick and horrible, where the sword hit matter when it should have met silk and air.

Several screams went up from the audience. Julie found herself gripping Flynn’s arm so much it must have hurt. She caught sight of Carrie – even her face was white.

It took a moment for the scraps to fall away.

Beaming, pushing forward on his roller skates, the young man reappeared. He gave another bow. The crowd’s fear turned to delighted relief, and in turn, raucous applause.

Julie was astonished. She and Flynn exchanged baffled looks, somehow unconvinced.

The performance went on. Caleb threw flame, filled a target board with knives, magicked into being a beautiful bouquet of orchids for Carrie. The dark-haired boy from behind the curtain was part of it, too, skating around the knives, leaping over stage equipment, sailing under bouts of flame as if they were clouds. He was… fearless.

Julie had seen magic shows before. Then, the flame hadn’t been so searingly real. The air didn’t shimmer around sharpened throwing knives. And _no one_ could roller skate directly into the path of a sword, smiling and waving at a crowd all the while.

She told Flynn she wanted to get away from the crowd for a while, skirting her way to the edge of the fair. On her way she saw Carlos and their father, and the utterly entranced look on her brother’s face made her smile.

Finally, in the shadows of a huge willow tree, she saw them.

Luke, Alex and Reggie were stood in their domino masks, whispering frantically. Julie crept closer to listen.

‘He’s been to the spring,’ Alex was saying, his voice low and urgent. ‘I’m telling you. I was behind the stage. I _saw_ him get hit.’

‘Are you sure it wasn’t just a trick?’ Reggie sounded uncertain.

‘I’m sure. He was _bleeding._ And then, a second later, he wasn’t.’

Luke nodded grimly. ‘Like when I got that cut from the fishing pole.’

‘Maybe it’s something else?’ said Reggie. ‘Maybe it’s not just the spring that… I don’t know. Maybe he’s just super healthy.’

‘What,’ said Luke sarcastically, ‘you think this guy just eats his greens?’

‘You never know!’

Alex shushed them. ‘I think I hear someone.’

There was silence. Julie huffed and walked up to them.

‘Alright, so I heard you,’ she said. ‘So… you weren’t making all that up?’

They turned to look at her. Luke’s face broke into a smile.

‘No,’ said Alex. ‘No, we weren’t making that up.’

Julie nodded slowly. ‘I think maybe I believe you. For… some reason.’

‘That’s great,’ said Luke. ‘So do you think you’ll come perform in Pasadena?’

Julie shot him a look. ‘I still need to think about my mom’s cabin. But… maybe I’ll come watch you rehearse tomorrow.’

At this, the three of them smiled, lit up like sunbeams.

‘Well, one of us needs to go talk to that guy,’ said Alex. He looked at Luke and Reggie, who offered him blank, expectant looks.

Alex sighed. ‘Fine. See you tomorrow, Julie.’

He waved and stepped out into the throng of the fair. Julie turned to Reggie and Luke.

‘I think it’s time you bought me that cotton candy,’ she said.


	6. Chapter 6

With the magic show over, the fair was beginning to draw to a close. The townspeople milled about getting final souvenirs and lining up for hot dogs as the circus packed itself away. Caleb had disappeared after his one victory lap, but the attendants were still around to disassemble the stage, and Alex hoped he could find the guy in the velvet suit.

He was proving elusive. Alex was beginning to get frustrated, circling around the back of the stage and the main fair several times with no sign.

Until he was knocked unceremoniously to the ground.

‘Whoa, hey! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.’

A hand helped him up. Alex took it begrudgingly, ready to say something angry, when –

 _Oh no,_ he thought.

‘You all right?’

There he was, and he was smiling at him. The effect was completely, totally disarming. Alex found himself blinking, at a loss for words.

‘Uh – yeah, yeah, I’m fine,’ he said.

He leant down to remove the skates strapped to his shoes, his movements unhurried. He got back up slowly, his long, dark hair spilling gently over his shoulders.

‘Enjoy the show?’ he asked.

‘Enjoy the —? Oh, the magic show, yeah. It was… impressive.’

‘I’m Willie.’ He smiled and put his hand out. Alex took it, trying not to let his touch linger.

‘Alex.’

‘What’s with the mask?’

‘This? Oh…’ Alex took a quick look around and pulled it off, feeling silly. ‘We just – came in costume, I guess.’

‘Very cool,’ said Willie with sincerity. ‘And, uh, who’s we?’

Alex wondered how much he could really say. ‘Some guys I perform with. We’re musicians.’

‘No way! What do you play?’

‘A bunch of kinds of drums. Sometimes other stuff.’ He coughed. This was getting away from him. ‘Hey, uh, listen. We all thought the show was cool. Mind if I ask you a question?’

‘Go for it.’

‘You did a lot of _really_ dangerous stuff in your set. Doesn’t it… worry you?’

Willie laughed. ‘Not really.’

Alex studied him for a moment. ‘Why not?’

Willie seemed to consider. Then he led Alex to the other edge of the fair, near a private cluster of sycamores. Alex’s arm tingled where he’d felt the warm hand through his shirt.

‘I just don’t seem to get hurt,’ he said, and shrugged. ‘Not the way other people do. I used to, sure, but lately… I don’t know. It’s like I’m invincible or something.’

‘Yeah,’ said Alex, slowly. ‘Same here.’

‘What, really?’

Alex nodded. ‘Listen, Willie… Did you ever go to a spring? Up in those woods there? One that tasted better than any water you ever drank?’

Willie frowned. ‘How did you know?’

‘I went there too,’ he said. ‘So did my bandmates.’

‘And you… you don’t get hurt either?’

‘None of us do.’

Willie was quiet for a moment, looking at Alex as if trying to gauge whether he was serious.

‘Well that’s… That’s awesome. Really? You drink that, and you can’t get hurt? Why doesn’t everyone know about it?’

Alex motioned for him to step further into the canopy of trees. ‘We can’t tell _anyone_ about it,’ he said. ‘Willie… Haven’t you noticed that your hair’s stopped growing?’

Willie stared at him. ‘What?’

Alex frowned. ‘When did you drink from the spring?’

‘Two weeks ago.’

Something curled in Alex’s stomach. This had just gotten a lot harder.

Willie leaned in closer ever so slightly. ‘Alex, when did _you_ drink from the spring?’

He swallowed. ‘1885.’

‘No way,’ whispered Willie again.

For a moment it seemed to sink in.

‘You have to not tell anyone about this,’ Alex insisted. ‘It seems cool, but… we can’t die. Ever. Imagine if every single person drank it. _Nobody_ would die. The world would stay stagnant, forever. Children would be trapped before they could get any older. And what if someone found it, and their intentions weren’t good? If they started using it for power, for blackmail? My bandmates and I, we all got run out of town when it first happened. People thought we were cursed.’

At the word _cursed,_ something changed in Willie’s face. He nodded, looking serious now. ‘Keep it secret,’ he said. ‘Got it. And I won’t tell anyone about you or your bandmates.’

Alex’s chest felt lighter. ‘Thanks. I appreciate it.’

Willie nodded back at the fair. ‘Can I get you a hot dog, Mr Immortal?’

Alex laughed. ‘Uh, no thanks. Bad memories.’

Willie looked intrigued. ‘Popcorn, then?’ he offered as they walked back in.

‘Sure.’ Alex tied his mask back on. Willie smiled but didn’t question it.

They got into the line for popcorn. Alex glanced at him a couple of times, feeling a strange mixture of anxiety and hope.

‘Uh, does anyone else know about your… condition?’

‘Oh, no,’ said Willie, smiling confidently at him. ‘Just Caleb.’

Alex’s stomach sank. ‘What does Caleb know?’

‘He knows I can’t get hurt,’ Willie said, shrugging. They reached the front of the line and he handed over enough change for two boxes. ‘He’s very interested in that, believe it or not. It’s what got me this circus gig.’

‘Right.’ Willie handed him the popcorn, but Alex was no longer sure he could eat anything. ‘Uh, maybe don’t tell him anything else? Just in case.’

Willie flashed him another smile. ‘You got it, hot dog.’

* * *

Luke and Reggie had almost run out of flyers by the time Alex ran into them again, his face pink.

‘Hey! What took you so long? Did you talk to him?’

‘I talked to him,’ said Alex, a little breathless. ‘He drank from the spring.’

‘Whoa,’ said Luke. ‘Alright. Did you tell him what that meant?’

‘Yeah. He was… surprisingly chilled.’

Luke and Reggie exchanged smirks.

‘It’s not _that_ surprising, Alex,’ said Reggie. A woman walked past him and he pushed a Pasadena flyer under her nose, calling, ‘Tell your friends!’

‘I think it’s a _little_ scary to find out you can’t die,’ said Alex defensively.

‘Sure, but not as scary as the thought of _actually_ dying, right?’ said Luke.

Alex shrugged. ‘Maybe for some people.’

‘So he wasn’t overly bummed to hear that he’s immortal,’ prompted Luke. ‘Anything else?’

Alex shifted uncomfortably. ‘He said that magic guy knows he can’t get hurt.’

Luke and Reggie exchanged foreboding glances.

‘Not good,’ concluded Reggie.

‘Not great,’ agreed Alex.

‘Maybe he’s a nice guy?’ said Luke. ‘The magic was cool.’

Reggie nodded enthusiastically.

Alex mentally rolled his eyes. They _could_ be right, he supposed. But he couldn’t shake this bad feeling. That even one person knowing something, even if it wasn’t the whole story, was not good. That anything positive about meeting Willie was drowned out by the knowledge that the spring wasn’t as well guarded as they’d all thought.


	7. Chapter 7

Julie felt only a slight pang of guilt at not telling her father exactly why she was going to the cabin. He was so happy to think that it was just to play piano and feel connected to her mom. And of course he wasn’t _wrong_ – it was just that there were three Phantoms there now, too.

The other thing bothering her was Flynn. She’d grown suspicious when Julie wouldn’t tell her about the three guys she’d spent time with at the fair, and it hurt Julie not to tell her. But what could she say? _Hey, Flynn, these are three immortal musicians that are staying in my mom’s cabin! I let them stay here just because I like them. But they’re kind of weird about hot dogs._

When Julie swung open the door to the cabin, the three guys immediately stopped what they were doing to beam at her and call her name. _‘Julie!_ ’

‘Nice harmonies,’ said Julie, smirking. She stepped further in, brushing down her skirt. ‘What were you playing?’

Luke hurdled over the piano stool to meet her at the threshold. ‘It’s a song called _Bright_ ,’ he said. ‘I think it’d be perfect for your range.’

He pressed a sheet of paper into her hand. Julie scanned it, forming the tune in her head, nodding a little as she started to picture it.

‘It looks good.’

‘Wanna hear it?’

‘Sure.’

Julie sat at the piano stool as they got ready. They started to play, and as before, Julie found herself nodding along. They were just as good as she remembered. But by the second chorus, she couldn’t help noticing where the song might benefit from some harmonies. From someone with a higher range. She found herself humming along.

Luke looked smug once they’d finished. ‘See, Julie, there’s no piano at Pasadena, and…’

Julie shook her head slowly, trying not to smile. ‘Right. Of course.’

‘And we got you a mask,’ added Reggie.

‘Seriously?’

Luke threw her a domino mask. Unlike theirs, hers wasn’t all black. It was a vivid, electric blue, sequinned in purple and silver.

‘Where did you get this?’

‘None of us made it, if that’s what you’re suggesting,’ said Luke, scoffing. He coughed and cleared his throat. ‘Anyway. What do you think?’

Julie considered it for a moment.

‘All right. I’ll sing with you _this one time._ ’

They let out a whoop.

‘But no more than that,’ she added. ‘Otherwise I’ll have seriously betrayed Flynn.’

‘Flynn?’

Julie told them about her best friend. About Double Trouble, and how much she’d helped her after the death of her mom.

‘She’s already starting to get mad at me,’ she added. ‘But I can’t tell her about you guys.’

They were quiet for a moment, exchanging subdued glances.

‘ _Maybe_ we could—’

Reggie started to speak, but Luke shook his head at him. He clamped his mouth closed.

Julie sighed. ‘All right, well. Show me the chords to _Bright_ again?’

They practiced the song together for a few hours. Just as Luke and Julie had thought, her voice lent itself perfectly to theirs. The four of them worked on the song until even thinking about performing it left them giddy with excitement.

After a while, they took out some sandwiches to eat beside the river, and Julie got to know a little more about the Phantoms.

They seemed reluctant to talk about anything in their past, especially their past in Treegap, but she learned some little things. Reggie wanted to discover the true history of the French dip sandwich. Alex’s favourite colour was pink. And she kept noticing Luke cuffing and rolling his sleeves, even when they were already at his elbow.

Julie raised her eyebrows at him. From his other side, Reggie smirked.

‘Luke doesn’t really like sleeves,’ he said. ‘Or collars.’

‘They just get in the way,’ Luke grumbled.

‘Well, fashion seems to get more and more casual all the time,’ said Julie, leaning back on her elbows. ‘Maybe one day you won’t have to have sleeves at all.’

Alex laughed. ‘And just like that, Luke’s immortality would become worth it.’

Luke made a _tsch_ noise as Julie and Reggie joined in.

Julie had noticed that of the three of them, Alex seemed to be the most concerned about their situation. Luke seemed to think it was the greatest thing in the world to be able to travel to endless new cities, play to endless new crowds. Reggie loved being able to fulfil whatever childhood daydream he wanted without fearing the consequences. But something had Alex unconvinced. Or maybe disenchanted.

She wondered why that might have been.

Over the next week, she slipped out to the cabin as frequently as she could. After a few days, she’d memorised the song and could sing it in her sleep, but she liked rehearsing with them anyway.

The day before the fair in Pasadena, Julie was on her way there again when she ran into Flynn on Main Street. Flynn was wearing a look of silent, sour fury that Julie had only ever seen her use on Carrie.

‘Uh oh,’ said Julie. ‘What’s wrong?’

Without a word, Flynn unfolded a flyer and handed it to Julie. Below the mentions of apple-bobbing and a carousel, the words THE PHANTOMS were printed – and below _that,_ in truly appalling penmanship, had been scrawled AND JULIE.

‘First you run off at the fair to hang out with some random guys, and then I learn from a flyer my mom got at the general store that you’re playing with a band in Pasadena?’

‘I mean, that could be any Julie,’ she mumbled.

Flynn pointed at the flyer again. What Julie had mistaken for some kind of ink run was, on closer inspection, her surname.

‘Oh.’

‘ _Oh_ is right,’ said Flynn. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?’

‘It’s… hard to explain. You’d think I’m crazy.’

Flynn raised her eyebrows. ‘When has that ever put me off believing you on something?’

Julie sighed. ‘You’re right. I’m so sorry, Flynn. Why don’t you come to the fair tomorrow? You can see us play and I’ll introduce you to the guys. They can help me explain.’

Flynn still looked suspicious. ‘I’ll think about it.’

Julie looked at the flyer again. ‘They could really use your campaigning skills.’

Flynn softened a little. ‘They sure could. _The Phantoms and Julie Molina?_ And you thought “Double Trouble” was bad.’

Julie smiled. ‘Not very catchy, is it?’

Flynn let out a long sigh and folded her arms. ‘Alright, Jules, I’ll get my parents to take me to Pasadena. But this had better be good.’

Julie bit her lip. ‘Could you… give me a ride?’

‘Seriously? You haven’t even told your dad?’

‘I will!’ protested Julie. ‘Eventually!’

Flynn huffed. ‘Fine. But you owe me one, Jules. Seriously.’

‘I owe you ten,’ said Julie. She pulled her friend into a hug.


	8. Chapter 8

The town fair in Pasadena was much, much bigger than the one Carrie had organised for Treegap. It was more people than Julie had seen since their last trip into Los Angeles for May Day, and at the sight of such a big audience, her stomach started to churn.

For a while she stayed with Flynn and her parents, watching some of the other performances and playing the games. The domino mask was pinned under her hat. They visited the coconut shy, ring toss, whack-a-mole. Flynn won a brightly painted spinning top that she handed off to Julie for Carlos.

As the time for their performance drew closer, Julie and Flynn restricted their exploring to the area near the stage. This one was bigger than the wooden pop-up the Wilsons had installed, with a backdrop and a set of metal-runged steps, and the sight of it made Julie’s heart patter. She refused Flynn’s offer of popcorn.

The sky was just beginning to darken when she heard someone stage-whisper her name.

She turned to see Reggie lurking behind some stalls, dressed all in black and with his domino mask on. ‘Come on, it’s time!’

‘I’ll see you later,’ she said to Flynn, who raised her eyebrows in response. Then she relented, giving Julie a tight squeeze.

‘Show them what they’re missing,’ she said.

Julie and Reggie dashed behind the stage, where Alex and Luke were waiting with their equipment. They beamed at her.

‘You made it! Got the mask?’

Julie nodded and put it on. It felt strange, but her vision wasn’t hampered at all.

‘Guys, I don’t feel so great,’ she said quietly.

‘Oh,’ said Alex. ‘Oh, you look super nervous. Hey, you didn’t eat a hot dog, right?’

‘What _is_ it with you guys and hot dogs?’ she muttered. ‘No, I just… I guess I’m nervous. I mean, what if this is my only chance?’

Luke shook his head animatedly. ‘Once these guys see you, there won’t be _anywhere_ you can’t perform. Trust me. We wouldn’t have asked you to sing with us if we didn’t think you’d be amazing.’

The words cheered Julie a little. All three of them were beaming at her, so eager and ready to let her join them in this, and the courage it gave Julie was just enough.

Together they walked onto the stage.

Julie took a deep breath, looking out at the audience. Among the sea of faces, she recognised a lot of the people of Treegap. Including Carrie, who stood beside Nick with a look of cold disdain. Nick, though, looked truly excited to see her sing.

And there was Flynn, grinning at her and giving her a thumbs up. Julie grinned back.

Alex cued them in. Luke and Reggie started to play the opening chords, just as they’d planned, shooting her encouraging smiles.

Julie took in another breath. She started to sing.

She moved on pure adrenaline, buoyed by the sheer joy coming off the Phantoms, the audience a total blur. Part of her remembered how to do this. How many times had she and her mom put on little shows, or she and Carrie, even, back when they were friends?

And doing it with the guys around her felt just as good, just as right. Reggie grinned at her, and on a whim she leaned over to him to share the mic. They sang together, hair falling in their faces, laughing between lines.

Adrenaline turned to joy. Luke sang his verse, and Julie found herself jumping around as they played. With Reggie, with Alex, in the middle of the stage. And then she caught Luke motion for her to come over, and with a thrill she sang the harmonies she’d added directly to him.

It was a rush, filling her veins like sugar syrup. The claps and cheers from the crowd went straight to her soul. And when the song finished, she realised she’d never wanted it to end. She stared out at the cheering audience, her chest rising rapidly, and wondered if she could do this every day of her life.

Then she heard their collective gasp.

Julie frowned. She noticed smoke curling at her feet. Turning around, she found the rest of the stage empty.

She sighed.

‘Phantoms,’ she muttered.

* * *

‘So I’ll get to meet the band after the show, huh?’

Flynn was there to meet her with a stick of cotton candy and a tight hug. She looked a mixture of exasperated and proud.

‘They told me they don’t stick around for long after shows. I guess I didn’t realise how serious they were,’ said Julie with a rueful smile. ‘I’ll introduce you tomorrow. I promise.’

‘Good.’ Arm in arm, they walked further into the fair. Occasionally strangers stopped them to congratulate Julie, and something warm started spreading in her chest. Sometimes she was asked about the Phantoms, and she kept her answers vague. Part of her liked the mystery.

Near one of the stalls, they ran into Nick.

‘Julie!’ He headed straight over to them. ‘That was _amazing_!’

Julie felt a warm flush creep up her cheeks. ‘Thanks,’ she said, and hoped she could manage to maintain full sentences. Even if they were one word.

‘Seriously,’ he said. ‘Everyone’s talking about it. No way are you gonna have problems playing in Treegap now. I overheard the mayor saying we need to give you all the boosts we can. You’re gonna put us on the map.’

Julie heard the words as though in a bubble. ‘Really?’ she eventually managed to say.

‘Yeah, totally. I bet—’

Before he could finish, Carrie joined them. She cocked her head as she looked at Julie, arms folded.

‘Oh, hey, Julie,’ she said. ‘Done wearing a mask, then? I wondered if that was why you were able to perform.’

‘Maybe you should try it,’ she snapped. ‘They’re very comfortable.’

Carrie laughed. ‘Sure, okay. If you say so. Hey, Nick, can we head back to the whack-a-mole? I’m in the mood for something a little more… consistent.’

She took his arm, and the two of them walked away. Nick shot Julie an apologetic look over his shoulder.

Flynn shook her head. ‘See, Julie? Boring. And spineless.’

‘He’s not,’ said Julie, but her heart wasn’t in it. She sighed. ‘Hey, since the guys disappeared, do you wanna get hot dogs?’

Flynn smiled. ‘That’s my girl.’


	9. Chapter 9

Their huge success in Pasadena seemed to follow Julie to Treegap. People smiled at her when she passed, where before she seemed to have regressed to disappointed frowns. She even got a couple of cards in the mail, which she had to intercept before her dad could see.

It made her feel light, like she was full of froth and fizz. She went around humming, tapping out rhythms on pieces of furniture, in a way she hadn’t for a long time.

She met Flynn on Main Street the day after the fair, as they’d agreed.

‘Alright, you can meet the guys at my mom’s cabin,’ Julie told her.

‘What? Your mom’s cabin?’

‘They’ll explain it all. But give me half an hour, okay? I need to tell them you’re coming.’

Flynn still looked highly suspicious. ‘Alright. Half an hour. But if this gets any weirder I’m talking to your dad.’

‘That will _not_ be necessary.’ Julie started speeding up the path through the trees. ‘See you in half an hour!’

Flynn watched her go, shaking her head.

When Julie reached the cabin, she got another enthusiastic (and harmonised) greeting. The guys piled her in a hug, taking her by surprise.

Julie laughed. ‘Guys! Give me a second!’

They stepped back and she smiled at them. ‘So, you think last night went okay?’

‘Are you kidding? Last night was _great_ ,’ said Luke. ‘The audience loved you.’

‘They loved all of us. You guys are really good.’

They all smirked, looking more than a little smug. Julie cleared her throat. ‘But that _smoke_ thing? You could have warned me you were going to disappear.’

‘We did,’ said Reggie, baffled.

‘You said you “didn’t stick around long” _._ I didn’t think you meant five seconds.’

Luke fidgeted with his collar. ‘We _can’t_ stay any longer,’ he said. ‘You know Bobby can’t see us. But if anyone sees us too many times, figures out we’re the same guys not getting any older, it means trouble.’

‘We used to stick around a lot longer,’ said Alex quietly. ‘It was nice, you know, talking to people after. We had fans. But it… things got messy.’

Julie blinked. On another day, she would have sat at the piano stool and asked them a little more. Clearly there was a story there. But right now there was a more pressing matter.

‘We might have to have _one_ fan,’ she said.

They looked confused.

‘Remember my friend Flynn? I need to let her meet you. She won’t tell anybody about you guys. She can help, probably. If we just—’

‘Julie, we _can’t_ ,’ said Alex, looking scared. ‘We made an exception for you because – well, we’re kind of squatting. And we like you. We know she’s your friend, but if _anything_ gets out…’

‘I trust her,’ insisted Julie. ‘With my life.’

They still looked unsure. But she’d brought ammunition.

From a pocket in her skirt she withdrew a crumpled piece of paper. ‘This is a poem I wrote about Flynn last year. She helped me so much after we lost my mom. Please, you have to know what she means to me.’

They crowded round to read it. She saw their faces soften.

‘Julie, these would make great lyrics,’ remarked Luke.

‘Lyrics?’

‘Yeah! Don’t you ever write music? You obviously have the talent for it.’

She shifted uncomfortably. ‘I used to. With my mom. But we’re getting off topic.’

Alex handed her the poem back. ‘I’m okay with it if you guys are,’ he said to Luke and Reggie, gently.

They nodded.

‘It sure would be nice having a fan again,’ said Reggie wistfully.

Julie beamed. ‘Great! She’s coming here in a half hour. Maybe you could… tidy.’

She looked pointedly around the cabin, which was, as usual, full of discarded clothes and various paraphernalia. Copies of their Pasadena flyer littered almost all the surfaces.

‘Or,’ said Luke, ‘we could write this song.’

‘That’s not enough time!’

‘We can _start_ it.’

‘How about something like this?’ Reggie picked up a guitar and began experimenting with a riff. It was, annoyingly, pretty good.

‘Guys! Off topic!’

‘New topic,’ said Luke, joining in with Reggie.

Alex caught her eye. He rolled his eyes at her affectionately, and Julie smiled.

* * *

Flynn was perturbed, to say the least.

‘You were born _when_?!’

‘1869,’ said Alex again. ‘But please, don’t dwell on that.’

Flynn folded her arms. She was sat in an old wooden chair, staring out at them all as they stood beside their instruments. Julie leant against the piano to watch.

‘Uh huh. And who was president in 1885?’

‘There were two,’ said Alex, baffled. ‘Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland. Why _wouldn’t_ we know that?’

Julie saw Luke and Reggie exchange glances. She wasn’t convinced _they’d_ known that.

‘Alright. And what’s this whole deal with hot dogs?’

Alex sighed. ‘We’ll get into that another time.’

Flynn sent Julie a look, her eyebrows raised. ‘You really believe this, Jules? These guys found some _magic water_ that turned them into _magical boys_?’

‘In a way, you could say everyone’s magical,’ put in Reggie, and the look Flynn gave him was withering.

Julie shrugged. ‘It makes sense. And – hey, guys, what happened with that guy from the magic show? Did you talk to him?’

‘Oh, my new friend,’ said Alex, smiling. His eyes were practically glowing. ‘Yeah, he drank from the spring too. That’s how he was fine after Caleb knifed him.’

‘Huh,’ said Flynn, slowly. She leaned back in her chair for a moment, surveying them. ‘Could you prove it?’

‘I mean, yeah,’ said Luke. ‘But it wouldn’t exactly be comfortable.’

‘No, Luke, we are _not_ doing that again!’ protested Reggie. ‘I don’t care if we _just wanted to be sure_!’

Julie thought Flynn might be holding back a laugh. Maybe the sheer panic in Reggie’s voice was enough to convince her.

‘Alright, listen,’ said Flynn. ‘I still don’t know if I believe you. But you guys have clearly helped bring music back to Julie. So if she trusts you, then for now, so do I.’

Smiles broke out on the guys’ faces. Julie’s heart lifted.

‘And you won’t tell anybody about us?’ asked Alex.

‘No way. Code of honour.’

‘So, Julie,’ said Luke, ‘does this mean you’re officially joining the Phantoms?’

Before she could answer, Flynn broke in. ‘What, so you can be _The Phantoms and Julie Molina_?’ she said sarcastically, gesturing to one of the flyers on the piano. ‘You’re joining Julie. Not the other way around.’

She picked up an unedited flyer and a small stump of a pencil. She leant over it for a moment.

‘Here.’ She handed it to Julie. ‘Isn’t this better?’

Julie looked down at it and smiled. ‘Simple. But I like it.’

‘What does it say?’ asked Luke.

Flynn stood to join Julie and put her arm around her shoulder. They grinned at the guys.

‘Boys,’ said Flynn, ‘welcome to Julie and the Phantoms.’


	10. Chapter 10

Alex next saw Willie skating in Los Angeles, taking advantage of the concrete paving they’d started to install. He’d mentioned that he came here sometimes, and when he caught sight of Alex and waved, Alex’s heart leapt.

‘Do these city folk not mind you going round in those?’ Alex said, smiling, as Willie came to a stop just in front of where he stood.

Willie smiled back. ‘I’m getting better at not bumping into things. Come on, I’ll show you the best places.’

Willie went as slowly as he could in the skates, but Alex still had to jog a little sometimes to keep up. Eventually Willie laughed and took them off.

‘So, immortality been treating you well?’ he asked. ‘What do you guys get up to?’

Alex grimaced ever so slightly. ‘Uh, kinda. We play a lot of shows, do a lot of travelling. Luke and Reggie – they’re my bandmates – seem to think it’s the greatest thing in the world.’

Willie looked at him. ‘But you’re not so sure?’

Alex was quiet for a moment.

‘I guess I just worry about it a lot. Like, how many people are we going to meet that just get older and die? Eventually we’re all gonna lose our families. More than we have already. And there’s got to come a point where we’ve just… done everything we could possibly want to do. Done it twice. I don’t know if they’ve thought about how that’s going to feel. What things are going to be like.’

‘I get it,’ said Willie. ‘Forever’s a long time. Anything else you worry about?’

Alex laughed without much humour. ‘Uh, yeah, only pretty much _everything_ else.’

‘Does music help?’

‘Does it–? Oh, yeah, it does. That’s kind of why I started playing drums.’

Willie smiled. ‘What, you stopped aging and thought, _I gotta get a hobby_?’

Alex laughed. ‘No, I’ve been playing for years. Way before all this. I mean playing is a good distraction from pretty much everything that worries me.’

He nodded, eyes gazing deep into Alex’s. ‘I get it. Hey, I’d love to hear you guys play some time.’

Alex’s heart lifted. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah, absolutely,’ said Willie. ‘You can drum out a little solo for me.’ He gave him that smile again, the one that made Alex both hopeful and terrified.

‘Yeah,’ he managed. ‘Yeah, I can do that.’

‘So, where are you playing next?’

‘I’m not sure. We never play the same place twice. But it’s been twenty-five years since we really hit Los Angeles, so… maybe somewhere in Hollywood.’

‘Sounds great. When you next plan a gig, come find me so I can be there, alright?’

‘Alright,’ said Alex, smiling. Willie clapped a hand on his shoulder, and for a second, he left it there.

* * *

July had arrived before anyone quite realised. It meant little to Julie, who’d spent almost every waking hour either writing songs or thinking about writing songs. She’d started bringing her notebooks to the cabin, and even though Luke had a habit of nosing through them when she wasn’t around, part of her didn’t really mind.

He’d been right about the song for Flynn (not that she was going to tell him that). They’d performed it for her one day at the cabin, and the last of her reservations had melted.

And Julie took down her mom’s song from the mantelpiece, the one she’d heard them playing that first day. With Luke, Reggie and Alex, she finished the second verse, added harmonies to the chorus, arranged the drumming and guitar pieces that would accompany her piano. It felt strange at first, sharing her mom’s songs with the Phantoms, but Julie liked how it linked the two parts of her life together.

One day she got a letter that had her racing to the cabin. She arrived out of breath, pushing open the door without pausing to knock.

‘We have a gig!’

The guys had been lounging around, plucking strings at random, and when Julie came in they leapt up to greet her. ‘Where?’ said Luke.

‘When?’ said Alex.

‘Um, do you guys know Nick?’ Her cheeks coloured a little. ‘His family is throwing a party for the Fourth of July. And he wants us to play.’

Luke raised his eyebrows. ‘Who’s Nick?’

‘He, uh… He knows Carrie. We’re friends.’

He kept his eyebrows raised. ‘Right.’

‘This is great news for us,’ said Julie. ‘His family knows everyone in Treegap, and most of the people in Hollywood. There’ll be a huge crowd.’

They came round to read the letter.

‘You’re right, Julie, this does sound big,’ said Reggie.

‘He sure sounds eager for you to be there,’ said Luke. He didn’t sound quite so impressed. ‘ _“I’ve been waiting so long to hear you sing again, Julie!”_ ’

Julie went scarlet and snatched the letter back. ‘We’re saying yes.’

‘Julie, I got us a gig too,’ said Alex. ‘For this weekend. It’ll be much smaller; we could take it as a trial run.’

‘Oh, really? Where is it?’

‘Just this small place in Hollywood. I, uh, I asked Willie to meet us there.’

Julie smiled. ‘Very nice. Do you have a set planned?’

He showed them the songs he’d picked, and for a while they went through making and refining a solid plan. This time they would get a whole three songs before disappearing.

‘Should I be doing this too?’ asked Julie. ‘I mean, does it ruin the effect if you guys exit the stage in a puff of smoke and I’m just… there?’

‘Nah, you’re our link to the audience,’ said Reggie. ‘It’s good to have someone approachable. Who’s, you know, actually supposed to be alive.’

‘You guys aren’t _that_ old,’ said Julie, baffled, but for a moment they wouldn’t look her in the eye.

‘Besides, if someone wants to offer us another gig, you can be there to talk to them,’ said Luke. ‘We used to get most of our gigs through playing other ones.’

‘Yeah, and crashing them,’ said Alex, smirking.

Luke smirked too. ‘Yeah. Remember that time we played for the ladies’ society meeting?’

‘They had great macaroons,’ commented Reggie.

Julie stared at them. She shook her head. ‘Okay then. Anyway, how are we going to do two gigs in a row without me telling my dad?’

They exchanged looks. ‘Can’t you just tell your dad?’ said Reggie.

Julie made a face. ‘I can’t see him being comfortable with you guys. What am I supposed to tell him?’

‘Tell him you met us at a ladies’ society meeting,’ said Luke.

Julie rolled her eyes. ‘Right. I guess Flynn can always say I’ve been at her house.’

‘What’s your dad like?’ said Reggie wistfully. ‘From what you’ve told us he seems like he’d be really nice.’

‘You guys are so weird,’ she muttered.

‘What? I just feel like he’d be a good dad.’

‘Well you’re not meeting him. Not yet, anyway.’

Reggie still looked a little put out, so Julie picked up his banjo and handed it to him.

‘Here,’ she said consolingly. ‘Why don’t you show us that song you wrote about a horse again?’

He smiled and took the banjo. ‘Yeah, okay. Thanks, Julie.’


	11. Chapter 11

As soon as they arrived at the club in Hollywood, Alex found himself looking out for Willie. The crowd grew steadily as he and the others set up the stage for their set, emerging Hollywood socialites filing in to crowd around tables and order Singapore Slings.

‘Do you guys think this place might be a little too high-brow for us?’ he murmured to the others. ‘I mean, everyone’s wearing suits.’

‘We have Julie now,’ said Reggie. ‘She’s our high-brow member.’

Julie, who was sat over at the piano checking it was in tune, rolled her eyes.

Luke clapped him on the shoulder. ‘We’ll be fine,’ he said. ‘They’ll all be falling over each other to invite us to their fancy parties.’

Alex hoped that was true. He decided to follow Julie’s lead and check over their instruments. Better to look as professional as possible, especially with Luke and Reggie being… well, themselves.

A hand grabbed his shoulder out of nowhere. He jumped, badly, and knocked over a drum. ‘Jesus!’ he yelped.

And there was Willie, wearing a black suit this time, his laughter low and warm. ‘Did I scare you?’

‘Only a little.’ Alex knew he must be scarlet, and he motioned for Willie to step away from the band a little. He didn’t want Luke and Reggie nosing in.

Willie’s face was soft with concern now. ‘I didn’t scare you _too_ much, did I?’

Alex smiled. ‘No. But, uh, thanks. And thanks for coming.’

‘Hey, I’m excited to hear you guys play!’ He leaned against the edge of the bar. ‘So, do I get to hear about them?’

‘Sure,’ said Alex. ‘So, uh, that’s Luke.’ He pointed. ‘He plays guitar. Reggie’s on bass. And that’s Julie over on piano. This is only her second time playing with us.’

‘Really? You, uh, know Julie well?’

‘She’s a good friend,’ said Alex.

Luke caught his eye and gave him a questioning look. The lights were dimmed; the stage manager had spoken to Julie. It was almost time.

‘So, uh… you’ll stick around for that drum solo, right?’

It was one of the riskier things Alex had said for a while. He could barely meet Willie’s gaze, his heart pounding almost audibly.

But Willie was still smiling at him. He had a way of smiling that put Alex a little more at ease, though it cut straight to the core of him at the same time. All of a sudden, Alex was glad that that smile would last forever.

‘Yeah,’ said Willie. ‘I’ll stick around.’

‘Alex, come on!’

He shot Willie one last look before heading back to the others. Luke was staring, eyebrows raised and very obviously curious, but Alex ignored him.

The moments leading up to a gig were always a blur. The final tunings and checks, the staff dashing in and out to give them updates, conversations among the crowd gradually dimming to a hush. Alex hoped Julie was getting that same sense of adrenaline-fuelled excitement it always gave the boys.

And then they were playing. As soon as Julie started to sing, Alex was just as in awe as he had been the first time, when they’d snuck around the cabin as she played her mother’s piano. He watched her animate their socialite audience, getting them to their feet even in their pressed suits and gowns. She sang with Luke, with Reggie; sometimes she even circled to the back of the stage to sing with him. He grinned through it all, feeling like maybe she’d brought something animated back to him, too.

A three-song set had been risky. They were wearing their masks, but it was still a tight call as to whether anyone might recognise them. But the crowd’s reaction made it all worth it. Especially when Alex caught sight of Willie, whooping and cheering harder than anyone.

For five glorious seconds, they let themselves soak in the applause.

Julie moved forwards as the boys prepared to disappear. But Alex had noticed someone next to Willie. Someone whose intrigued look made him feel strangely vulnerable. His skin started to itch.

Just before they had to vanish, Caleb’s eyes met his. He smiled, slowly, and tipped his velvet-ribboned hat.

* * *

Half an hour later, Luke, Alex and Reggie were ambling through Hollywood’s darkest back alleys, the buzz not quite worn off yet. They missed sticking around and talking to fans, but at least they could congratulate each other.

‘The drums sounded so good this time,’ said Reggie, giving Alex a celebratory punch. ‘Nice work.’

‘You mean they don’t always?’ said Alex, mock-offended.

Luke put his arms around their shoulders. ‘We’re the best we’ve ever been,’ he said. ‘I’m serious. All of us, and now Julie. She’s really got something.’

There was such reverence in his voice that Reggie and Alex exchanged a look behind his back.

‘You’re right, boys,’ came a smooth voice. They whipped around, and there at the end of the alley, still in his purple suit and top hat, was Caleb.

He took a few steps towards them, purposeful and fluid. ‘You’ve all got… something. Really, boys as talented as you should be trying to get _out_ there, to make a name for yourselves.’

For a moment they were too astonished to reply. The shadows in the alley seemed a little longer, somehow.

‘But instead,’ Caleb went on, ‘you disappear. A nice gimmick, certainly, but a gimmick all the same. Now why would you want to do that?’

‘It’s, uh,’ said Luke. ‘It’s complicated.’

Caleb looked at them thoughtfully, tapping his chin. ‘Mm. I believe you. It’s so easy these days, isn’t it, for things to get complex? Now listen – I wanted to find you so I could make you an offer.’

‘What kind of offer?’ said Alex suspiciously.

‘Oh, only something good. Something very good. You’ve seen my circus troupe, I believe?’

They nodded.

‘Our performers are _only_ the best,’ he said. ‘People who know how to play a crowd. People like you.’

He let the words sit in a saturated silence.

‘Now, I know you boys have your own thing going on,’ he said. ‘And I don’t want to get in the way. I just want to let you know you’ve got options. Why don’t you come to my party on the Fourth, and we can discuss it a little deeper?’

‘We’re busy on the Fourth,’ said Luke. ‘We’ve already got a gig at another party.’

‘Boys,’ he said, ‘that one won’t be a thing like mine.’

He bowed, his cape rippling as he did so, and as the fabric sparked and swirled he withdrew three large red envelopes. Reggie blinked, his eyes wide.

Caleb handed an envelope to each of them. ‘Think about it. There’ll be displays like nothing you’ve ever seen.’

‘Mr Covington,’ said Luke, firmly, ‘we really appreciate it, but we can’t make your party. We made a promise to Julie.’

He looked at them for a moment, scrutinising.

‘All right,’ he said finally. ‘How about dinner? Say, six pm? Then you boys won’t miss your pumpkin carriage, and I get to give you my little sales pitch. Everybody wins.’

‘Dinner sounds great,’ said Reggie, moments before two elbows dug into his sides.

‘Fantastic. I’ll see you there.’

And in another swirl of his cape, he was gone.

‘No smoke?’ said Luke. ‘How does he _do_ that?’

‘Maybe we can ask him at dinner,’ said Reggie.

‘Reggie, I can’t believe you said yes to dinner,’ said Alex. ‘You know we’re not supposed to let people get to know us.’

‘But this is a travelling circus,’ said Reggie. ‘What’s the harm in that?’

Luke and Alex exchanged uneasy glances.

‘Maybe he’s right,’ said Luke. ‘They’ll be in another state by the end of the summer. And… it’s not like we can play with Julie forever.’ He shifted uncomfortably as he spoke, looking like the words pained him. ‘It’s worth at least hearing what he has to say.’

Alex was quiet. He was thinking about Willie, tied to Caleb and paid very well for his inability to be harmed.

They’d probably be able to see Willie at Caleb’s dinner.

‘Well, it’s worth a shot,’ he said. ‘So long as we’re out in time to go play with Julie.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Luke. ‘We will be.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say thanks so much again for the kudos and lovely comments! They make such a difference to me and are such great motivation!


	12. Chapter 12

Caleb Covington had been around for a long time.

In 1829, he was little more than a nobody. Back then there was no Hollywood to take by storm, so he’d spent a few years moving through the circles in New York, San Francisco, New Orleans. Other magicians had experience to back up their talent, but he had something stronger: sheer, unfiltered ambition.

So, at the age of seventeen, he set out to make a name for himself.

At twenty-one, he’d made contacts that could get him in at almost any venue along the west coast. Older and more established magicians would ask him how certain illusions were done; local press would write speculation pieces that drove up business as much as any good review.

By the time he was thirty, Caleb was a big name. He never had any trouble pulling a crowd. Other magicians had grown actively suspicious of him, in a way that only bolstered Caleb’s pride.

Whispers followed him everywhere, of magic that transcended what was natural for a human to do. What was _right_ for a human to do. And Caleb fanned the flames, enjoying the rumours more than anyone could guess. He only wished they were entirely true; anything more than an acknowledgement of his superior manipulation of an audience.

And, under the cover of nightfall, he went in search of a way to _make_ it true. He met with alchemists, shamans, self-proclaimed witches. Everywhere he went, he sought out whoever might be able to make him more than a mortal man _._

Until one of his tricks went wrong.

The popularity of escapology was evergreen, and it was an art at which Caleb excelled. He knew how to pick locks underwater, how to crack open a titanium cage, how to free has hands from several thick coils of rope.

In the end, it was a tiny mistake that almost killed him. One so tiny it was laughable. One extra inch to the set of steel bars between him and his waiting audience.

It had been his most complex setup yet. He had one minute before the air ran out. That minute was well over before one of his assistants finally pulled the failsafe.

From then on Caleb had a new goal. Illusions that outshone everyone else’s were no longer enough, especially if there was no guarantee against the dangers of inept assistants.

Death was never something that had interested him. Others spoke of an afterlife, of the so-called “wheel”, but that wasn’t something he cared about. Why cross over when he’d made such a life for himself on this side?

And he decided he would seek out whomever he had to, pay them whatever they wanted, to make sure death was never something that found him.

Now, Caleb was enjoying watching the future march into California. He would be part of the rise of Hollywood. His troupe was full of the best, _only_ the best, and they were already making a new name for themselves.

So much had changed since 1829.

* * *

The day before Nick’s party, Julie and Flynn met up to discuss their plans. They sat far enough down the garden that Ray and Carlos wouldn’t be able to hear, settling under the shade of a willow with a basket of desserts and a pitcher of iced tea.

‘So,’ Flynn said, sneaking a bite of cake. ‘What do you guys have planned for the party?’

Julie handed her a sheaf of sheet music. ‘Here. We were thinking these three.’

Flynn looked through them, nodding. She pulled out one that looked vaguely familiar. ‘Is this one you wrote with your mom?’

‘Yeah,’ said Julie softly. ‘Luke and I finished it. We wrote these other songs together, too, over the weekend.’

Flynn looked at her and quirked an eyebrow.

‘So, uh,’ she said, casually, ‘a personal invite from Nick, huh?’

‘Guess so. I bet Carrie was mad.’ Julie riffled through the picnic basket in search of a pastry.

Flynn narrowed her eyes. ‘And you’re excited to see Nick?’ she prompted. ‘After he asked you to sing?’

Julie’s eyes met hers, then darted away. She fiddled with a piece of wicker poking from the basket. ‘Yeah. I really think these songs will go down well. Everything with Luke just seems to… I don’t know, it just feels right.’

Flynn set down her plate. ‘Jules, you are _so_ smitten.’

‘I am not!’ she protested, cheeks flaming. ‘We just write good music together, that’s all!’

‘Good,’ said Flynn, ‘because he’s hardly available.’

‘I know,’ muttered Julie, scowling into her pastry.

‘And they’re old.’

‘Have you met Reggie?’ she challenged. ‘I think they got stuck at seventeen mentally as well as physically.’

‘Alright. Fair point. But be careful,Julie.’

Julie gave a long sigh. ‘I will.’

They were quiet for a moment.

‘And you need to tell your dad,’ said Flynn. ‘What if he sees one of your flyers? Or worse, what if Victoria sees one of your flyers?’

Julie shuddered at the thought of her aunt finding out before her dad. ‘I know you’re right, I just… I’ll tell him eventually.’

‘When’s “eventually”? How long are you going to play with those guys, anyway? For the whole summer?’

Julie set down her plate and pulled her knees up to her chest, sighing heavily. ‘I don’t wanna think about this right now,’ she mumbled. ‘This is the first time since my mom that I’ve been able to play music. I know the whole thing with the spring water is super weird, and they’re gonna have to skip town again before too long, but it’s been really fun. I just… I don’t want to have to say any more goodbyes.’

Flynn shuffled a little closer. ‘You won’t have to say goodbye to me,’ she said softly.

Julie leant her head on her friend’s shoulder. ‘Double Trouble, right?’

‘Always, Julie. You know that.’

As they went through the rest of the picnic basket, Flynn writing little notes in the margins of the songs, Julie tried not to think too hard about what they’d said. About certain things lying under the surface, that excited and scared her at the same time. About one more song, that currently existed only in her head.


	13. Chapter 13

The Fourth of July announced itself with a scorching heat. Los Angeles was full of parades, streamers and confetti bursting into the sky like early fireworks, the smells of street food and barbecue settling like smog.

Julie spent the day in the city with her father and Carlos, buying cups of lemonade and wandering around the stalls. In the evening she and her brother drove to Nick’s party with Flynn and her parents, while Ray stayed to photograph the fireworks. As they drove Flynn wove a crown of dahlias into Julie’s hair.

Earlier that day, both Ray and Carlos had noticed that Julie was wearing one of her mom’s old dresses. They smiled and didn’t say a thing.

Julie knew that the guys wouldn’t be hanging out at the party ready to say hello, but it set queasy flutters in her stomach to have no idea where they were. Nick’s house was equal to the Wilsons’ in the way it imposed upon Treegap, its perfect white exterior both impressive and intimidating, and enough marquees were set out in the gardens to accommodate four villages. But Julie had always liked how Nick downplayed it all, laidback and friendly as he was.

With Carlos safely shoved towards a group of his friends setting up games on the lawn, Julie and Flynn were happy to see Nick come to greet them. Just as he had in Pasadena, he looked genuinely delighted to see Julie, which she found… gratifying.

Should she be happier about it? Julie hugged her arms to her chest, confusion now swirling in amongst the nerves. Lately people had been talking about tensions between Nick and Carrie again. And he really had been effusive in that letter inviting them to perform. But whenever Julie thought about that, she mostly remembered the grumpy look on Luke’s face when he’d read it.

Nick showed Julie and Flynn the area set up as a makeshift stage, under a huge white pavilion and backlit with dizzying strings of lights. With a wink, he showed them a tunnel under several darker marquees that could be used for a discreet exit, “just in case”. Leaving Julie to look around, he and Flynn left to fan the crowd’s enthusiasm.

Julie sat on a stool in the wings and breathed in deep. She knew why they were both trying so hard: it was her first performance in Treegap without her mother, and it would reintroduce her to the town in a big way. All of a sudden she was overwhelmed with gratitude for the Phantoms. Without their encouragement, their backup in every sense, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to return to music so quickly.

And she knew that without them, she wouldn’t be able to play to this crowd at all.

* * *

On the other side of Hollywood, Luke, Alex and Reggie were arriving at Caleb’s mansion.

Though they’d heard that the party wouldn’t start until later, things already seemed to be in full swing. Dancers milled about in full costume, some lounging in hoops and on outdoor chaise longues; tables had been set up with hors d’oeuvres and bowls of punch. To Alex’s delight, it was Willie who came to greet them and usher them in for dinner.

‘This place is amazing,’ Reggie was saying, looking around at the plush gold furnishings in awe. ‘Does Caleb live here?’

‘Oh, it’s rented,’ said Willie. ‘He tours around the world. Once the summer’s over he plans to go to Paris.’

Alex cleared his throat. ‘Are you, uh, are you going to go to Paris too?’

Willie’s eyes met his. ‘I don’t know yet. Maybe not.’ He flashed a smile. ‘Plenty of time to see Paris.’

Alex smiled back. ‘Yeah. And everywhere else.’

Luke nudged Reggie, and the two of them exchanged grins.

They entered a dining room that had a domed glass roof, doubtless perfect for seeing the fireworks later on. Both its long walls were lined with elegant mahogany tables, and it was these, rather than the round table in the centre of the room, that were groaning under the weight of dozens of platters of food.

Caleb met them with a gracious smile, handing them each an open bottle of soda. ‘Boys, welcome! Wonderful to have you here.’

‘This is a beautiful house, sir,’ said Reggie.

‘Yeah, thanks for having us,’ added Luke.

‘The pleasure’s all mine. Please, sit. Or, if you’d rather – help yourselves.’

Caleb spread his arms, and the boys allowed themselves to gawp at the spread on display. There were some of the fancier dishes they’d been expecting, but there were also pizzas, stacks of hamburgers and sandwiches, bowls full of fries and macaroni cheese.

It had been a while since they’d had a full meal. Knees slightly weak, they loaded their plates with an obscene amount of food before joining Caleb and Willie at the table.

Caleb himself didn’t eat, merely pouring himself the occasional glass of wine as they spoke. At first he was content to exchange pleasantries, asking them about Treegap, about their instruments.

They tried to be a little guarded, as always. But as they ate, Caleb was only too happy to demonstrate the transience of his circus: performers came in and out, asking about little details of what was sure to be a magnificent party, occasionally asking about their trip to Paris. Some even mentioned trips beyond – to Rome, Venice, Milan.

They found themselves relaxing enough to let slip certain things. Yes, they were born here. Yes, they’d travelled a lot. Yes, they’d started playing with Julie, but only until the end of the summer.

‘Why just until then?’ asked Caleb, topping up their drinks. They were drinking something fruity now, sweet and fizzy and impossible to resist.

‘We have to leave town after that,’ said Luke. ‘But Julie’s home is here.’

‘And let me guess. You don’t have homes?’

They shifted in their seats. Alex swallowed.

‘Well,’ said Reggie, ‘we kind of do. We’re each other’s home now.’

Caleb smiled slightly. ‘Charming. Well, you of course know I’d never do a thing to come between you.’

Reggie looked at him for a moment. His face broke into a smile. He trusted Caleb a lot, the others could tell.

‘But in that case, why not make a second home with us?’ Caleb went on. ‘You’re travelling, we’re travelling… It makes perfect sense.’

‘We could join you in the fall,’ said Luke. ‘When we’re done performing with Julie. Willie could tell us where you’re at.’

‘Ah, but boys, in the meantime we’re competing for tickets. Makes no sense to be two separate acts. Think of the crowds we could pull in if we worked together. Think of what an impact we could make, all over California.’

He looked directly at Luke as he spoke, wine glass poised between his fingers.

Luke’s gaze dropped to the tablecloth.

‘And,’ said Caleb, facing Alex now, ‘of course, you’d be able to get to know Willie a lot better.’

Alex’s heart jumped into his throat. He shot a frantic look at Willie in the chair next to him, and his nerves calmed a little to see the gentle smile on his face.

Caleb took the opportunity to stand with a flourish and usher in a new table, this one full to the brim with desserts. Once again, there was everything they could possibly want, and Caleb encouraged them to take as much as they were able.

After dessert Caleb and Willie insisted they dance, showing them out into a neatly paved garden with a large stone square. The jazz band had set itself up on the lawn, and already the evening was alive with something vibrant and upbeat, the mood infectious.

To Alex’s surprise, Willie grabbed his hand and pulled him out to dance, beaming at him. Luke and Reggie laughed and joined in the dancing too.

Above them, the sky was slowly beginning to darken.


	14. Chapter 14

Julie was starting to get worried.

Flynn and Nick were doing an amazing job keeping the crowd entertained, and there were enough stalls with games set up for anyone who didn’t want to stand near the stage and wait. But they had agreed that she would play right before the fireworks started, using the spectacle to further the drama of the Phantoms’ escape. Which meant not waiting until full dark.

Even worse, Carrie was on full form tonight, determined to be the one making a good impression. She and her group of friends were touring the crowd in a pack, delivering sparkling compliments, their conversation like flowing champagne. Each time she shot Julie a tilted smile, it was impossible not to interpret it as a challenge.

Julie picked at one of the dahlias in her hair, trying to stay calm. She thought about their afternoons in the cabin, by the river. The guys acted like they genuinely liked and respected her; they wouldn’t stand her up. Not when they knew how important this was.

She remembered Luke, his eyes bright and earnest as he’d pressed that first song into her hands, and a tumult of something confusing sparked in her stomach. She sensed that if she were going to be angry, she’d be angry at him most of all.

Flynn appeared near the stage again, approaching Julie with a smile plastered over her concern. ‘Everything okay? Any sign of the guys?’

Julie shook her head. ‘I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t they be here?’

Flynn pulled over another stool and sat facing her friend. ‘Maybe something happened?’

Julie winced. ‘I mean, we know they can’t die. Nothing _that_ bad could’ve happened.’

Flynn considered this for a moment. ‘Right, so… they’re not dead. They must’ve been held up somehow.’

There was a moment of quiet. Julie’s mind was racing, trying to think of anything that could have gone wrong. They needed to avoid Mr Wilson, she knew, but they’d checked that he wouldn’t be here tonight. Like her dad, he’d stayed in Los Angeles for the celebrations. None of the guys’ families were still around, either (not that they’d told her anything about them besides that).

‘Flynn,’ she said quietly. ‘What if they’re not coming?’

Flynn stood up and put her hands on Julie’s shoulders. ‘Then play without them! Nick got that piano set up, all because of you. It’s you those people recognise; you they really care about. You don’t need the guys.’

Panic was starting to crawl up Julie’s insides. What Flynn didn’t seem to understand was that that expectation was what made her so afraid. If she’d been a Phantom herself, elusive and unknowable, it would have been easier to go out and play for that crowd. But instead, she was the girl they all knew as Miss Molina, the motherless one, the girl who’d already ruined one town event. Carrie was in that crowd; so was the mayor. So was Nick.

‘I can’t,’ she whispered, feeling sick.

Flynn met her gaze, her brow furrowed. Then something caught her eye behind Julie, and she gave her a meaningful look and darted back into the crowd.

It turned out Nick wasn’t out there – he was beside Julie, and as she stood she stumbled over her stool.

He laughed a little and moved it out of her way. ‘Thanks,’ she said, and he smiled.

For a moment they stood opposite each other, arms crossed and uncrossed.

‘So, uh, it’s nearly time,’ he said. He peeked round Julie into the shadowy parts of the wings. ‘Are the Phantoms here? They like their mystery, huh?’

Julie’s gaze fell. ‘No, they’re not here.’

‘Really? Why not?’

‘I don’t know. They should have been here half an hour ago.’

Nick looked at her for a moment, taking in the hopelessness on her face.

‘I mean, it makes sense that they’d be a little flaky,’ he said. ‘If they have to constantly disappear, and all. We have the piano – could you play by yourself?’

‘The songs wouldn’t work that way,’ insisted Julie, shaking her head. ‘Besides, you know how much I have to make a good impression. I can’t go out there alone.’

‘You’d make a great impression on your own.’

Any other time, Julie would have been thrilled to get such a compliment. But as it was, her stomach was twisting, something dangerously like despair building in her chest.

‘I can’t,’ she repeated, hoping that was the end.

But Nick was still looking at her, something determined in his expression. ‘It’s you these people care about, Julie. Everyone knows how talented you are.’ He looked out at the fair, lanterns being lit now that dusk was creeping in. ‘Come on. I know you can do this.’

And to Julie’s horror, he signalled for the stage lights to come on and marched out onto the stage, taking her hand to pull her along behind him.

* * *

Cocktails were being served in Caleb’s dining room. Through the domed glass ceiling, the evening fireworks cast an illuminated, kaleidoscopic glow, colours dancing along the walls.

Luke watched them for a moment. It took a moment for it to catch up to him that, beautiful as they were, they meant it was full dark outside. They were late.

‘Guys!’ He pulled Reggie away from the dessert table, where he was laughing with one of the dancers, and they went out in search of Alex. They found him out in the gardens, stumbling around the people dancing with a lost look.

‘We should’ve been at that party by now,’ Luke said to them. ‘We have to go.’

‘Yeah, I know. I’m not sure what happened,’ replied Alex.

‘Too much fruit soda?’ suggested Reggie, already sounding regretful.

‘Come on.’ The three of them started to head to the edge of the grounds.

‘You, uh, you haven’t seen Willie, have you?’ said Alex. ‘He kind of disappeared.’

The others shook their heads.

Just as the noise of the party was starting to recede behind them, Caleb stepped out to meet them. Unlike everyone else at the party, he still looked immaculate.

‘Boys! Leaving so soon?’

‘We told you, we have a gig,’ said Luke, a little impatiently. ‘We’re already late.’

‘Well, I hope you enjoyed what you saw of our little troupe. And remember, it’s never too late to join us.’ He handed them each a scarlet-coloured business card, edged in gold.

‘Thanks. We had a great time,’ said Reggie, beaming.

‘I’ll be sure to attend all your gigs,’ said Caleb. He gave them all one last enigmatic smile and bowed with a flourish, chuckling as he walked back to the party.

They exchanged looks. But there was no time for anything else, and with one final glance towards the lawn, they broke into a run.

* * *

Fireworks had blanketed the sky above the white pavilions in Nick’s yard, visible from every corner of Treegap. Beautiful though they were – Nick’s family had spared no expense – the mood of the crowd was still a little dispirited.

Julie hadn’t been able to bear it, the annoyed mutterings and the undisguised glares. People had complained loudly when she’d told them there would be no performance, and the shame of having to stand in front of them all like that, Nick beside her looking crestfallen, had buried itself deep under her skin.

As soon as the fireworks had finished, the party mostly moved inside the house, the lawns now quiet as vendors packed away their stalls. Golden light spilled onto the grass and every now and then Julie heard a new bottle of champagne open with a pop, bursts of laughter accompanying it.

Only she and Flynn had stayed, sitting on the cooling metal of the stage with their legs dangling. On the bright side, one of the vendors had given them the last of their spun cotton candy from the evening, and they tore off pieces to melt on their tongues.

At eleven o’clock, Flynn’s parents left the party and hovered in the doorway, beckoning to Flynn.

‘You still staying at mine tonight?’ she asked Julie, who nodded.

Flynn jumped down from the stage. ‘Alright. I’ll go catch up with them.’

‘I’ll just be a minute,’ said Julie.

Flynn nodded. She squeezed Julie’s hand for a moment before heading across the lawn.

Julie sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. The dahlias in her hair were starting to wilt, so she took them all out and scattered them over the ground.

Three familiar figures emerged from the wood. She saw them recognise her and start running over, and a cold anger rose in her chest.

‘Julie!’ Reggie called out first, and promptly bent down to press his hands on his thighs. ‘Ugh, cramps.’

‘Is the party…’ Alex glanced at the mansion’s huge windows. ‘Could we get everyone outside again?’

‘No.’ Julie got down from the stage and smoothed out her skirt. ‘The party’s over. I’m about to go home.’

‘Julie, we’re so sorry,’ whispered Luke, aghast. ‘We didn’t think…’

‘You didn’t think _at all!_ Where were you?’

The three of them exchanged guilty glances.

‘We went to a dinner,’ said Alex. ‘Time just got away from us.’

‘A dinner with who?’

‘Caleb Covington,’ admitted Luke.

For a moment Julie stared at them. Confusion turned to anger the longer she thought about it. ‘What, he can offer you better gigs than you can get with me?’

‘Julie, it’s not like that,’ Luke insisted. ‘He wanted us to join his troupe, sure, but we said no. We’re so sorry we missed this. But we’ll play the next one, right? There’ll be other—’

‘There won’t _be_ a next one!’ Julie burst out. ‘These people will never trust me again! I looked like _such_ a fool!’

They were silent, their faces mortified. Julie crossed her arms, shaking her head at them. ‘Let me guess. You wanted me to join you so I could do all the talking while you keep up your little Phantoms act, and somebody else gave you a better offer.’

‘That’s not it,’ said Alex with wide eyes, and he made to step closer to her, but Julie threw her hands up and retreated.

‘I’m leaving. You can forget about the band. Join the circus if you want.’

And, though they called her name several times, Julie crossed over the lawns alone.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry in advance for this, it felt evil :(((

It was announced in a local pamphlet that Nick and Carrie’s engagement had ended “on mutual terms”, again.

Victoria had insisted on pressing it into Julie’s hands for her to read, playing coy and pretending she was showing her the advertisement for a new perfume, when she turned up for dinner one day.

Julie put it down seconds after reading it. She wasn’t sure what she felt, but she suspected it was nothing.

So far, July had turned out stifling and muggy. What little traffic Main Street had ever had was now barely a trickle, most of Treegap’s residents shutting themselves in parlours with curtains pulled and fans unfolded. There were whispers that the mayor’s wife had forgone her corsets.

She’d heard from the guys, of course. Every day there was a little apology note that had been thrown up to her windowsill, its margins doodled with treble clefs and quavers. One of them was in the form of a very short song complete with harmonies. Julie almost threw them all out, but eventually settled for stashing them in a drawer under some old petticoats.

She ignored their pleas for her to visit the cabin. She was still thinking about asking them to vacate it permanently, though part of her bristled at the idea. But they’d get over it, she told herself. It had to be hard for things to really matter to them in the long run, since they would have forever.

One morning, instead of the usual apology note, Julie was woken by a light tapping sound. Then another, less light. It sounded almost like hail, surely impossible in midsummer, and Julie wondered if she was still half-dreaming.

The noise shook her fully awake. Frowning, she went to her window. Outside she saw Alex and Reggie, who was preparing to throw another pebble.

‘Oh my god,’ she muttered to herself, opening the window and gesturing frantically for him to stop.

Alex grabbed his arm. Reggie dropped the pebble, and waved.

Julie rolled her eyes. She pulled on a shawl and some slippers and made her way downstairs, trying to keep her footsteps light.

It was barely dawn, and the moon still hung in the sky. Julie took hold of their sleeves and marched them down to the bottom of the garden, under the sweeping leaves of a willow tree.

‘You guys can’t come here like this,’ she hissed. ‘I told you; I’m done with the band.’

‘We’re not here for that,’ said Alex, looking solemn. ‘We just… We just wanted to tell you we won’t be around for a few days. You know, just in case. Luke’s leaving town for something, and we thought we’d go with him.’

Julie was suspicious. ‘Luke’s leaving town? For what?’

Alex and Reggie exchanged glances.

‘Why don’t you come down to the river?’ he suggested. ‘We’ll explain it all there. We can’t stick around here for very long.’

Julie sighed. ‘Alright. Fine. Let me get dressed and I’ll meet you there.’

‘Thanks, Julie,’ said Reggie. His eyes were fixed on her, earnest and warm.

Julie looked away. ‘This had better be a good explanation,’ she mumbled.

* * *

They settled under the boughs of another willow, this one on the curve of the river beside the cabin. The rushing water was gentle and quiet, birdsong marking the advance of the morning. Reggie had brought out a basket of apple-cinnamon muffins for her, and Julie sat breakfasting on them with her knees tucked under her.

‘Thanks for coming, Julie,’ he said, sitting down opposite her.

Alex glanced at the cabin through the leaves. ‘Don’t mention this to Luke, okay? He might not want us to tell you.’

‘Alright,’ said Julie cautiously.

Alex hesitated. He and Reggie exchanged looks again, looking uncertain and sombre.

‘So… As you know, we haven’t gotten older since 1885.’

Julie’s brow furrowed. ‘I know.’

Alex swallowed. ‘Things at home got… complicated. We told you we should have died a few times over, right? Reggie fell out of that tree, and we all ate something that should’ve given us food poisoning. It killed off everyone else. Well, not long after, we had to do something about it. Things were just getting way too messy. People were hounding us, telling us we weren’t natural. So we… we faked our deaths. And we left.’

Julie stared at them. Reggie was quiet, picking at the grass. Alex kept his gaze on hers, his expression grave.

‘Bobby was kind of suspicious, but everyone else had no reason not to believe it. Some of the more superstitious folk thought it was punishment, for the “curse”. The hardest part was having to cut ourselves off from our parents. They all believed we died young.’

Something in Julie’s stomach sank like a stone.

‘I mean, I was kind of on rocky terms with mine anyway. We all were. But Luke took it the hardest. He wasn’t proud of how he’d left things with them. So… when they died last year, it hit him really hard.’

‘They died?’ Julie whispered.

Alex nodded. ‘Some fever hit the town. You probably remember it; they didn’t live far from here.’

Julie was silent.

‘Today is the day his mom died,’ said Reggie in a hushed voice. ‘We ended up seeing it in a paper. We couldn’t even go to the funeral.’

Unexpected tears welled up in Julie’s eyes. ‘I… I didn’t know,’ she murmured. ‘Is it safe? For Luke to go back?’

‘Not really, but we couldn’t talk him out of it,’ said Alex. ‘We’ll make sure he has some kind of disguise, at least.’

Julie nodded. She stood, her legs feeling shaky. Staying quiet, she crept out from under the leaves of the willow, lurking near enough to the cabin to see in through its windows.

Inside, Luke was throwing clothes into a battered old suitcase, wiping away tears with his sleeve. He looked desolate.

Julie’s heart turned over. She watched him for a moment more before ducking back under the willow’s branches, where Alex and Reggie were waiting for her.

Alex stood up. ‘If you want us to leave the cabin for good, we will. We’ll all pack our things and go.’

Julie shook her head. ‘No. You guys can stay.’

Reggie joined them, his eyes wide. ‘Are you sure?’

Julie gave them a small smile. ‘You… you should have a home, at least. While you’re here. Everyone needs roots somewhere.’

They smiled. Reggie spread his arms wide, and the three of them stood for a while in a hug.

‘Julie, we’re really sorry about the other night,’ said Reggie, his voice slightly muffled.

‘You’ll have to make it up to me,’ said Julie, pulling back. ‘Maybe when you’re back we can work on that song you wrote. Otherwise there was no point in me learning to play the fiddle.’

Reggie’s smile was real this time, lighting up his face like a sunbeam.

Alex smiled too. ‘So we’ll see you when we get back?’

‘See you when you get back.’ And Julie stepped forwards to hug them again.


	16. Chapter 16

The three of them left Treegap that morning. Julie sat under a tree on the other side of the river, staying just out of sight as she watched them go. She looked until they were long since out of sight, her heart aching.

After a while, she let out a long exhale and stood. She walked down to the little wooden bridge next to Alex’s rowboat and crossed over, heading up to the cabin. When she entered she was surprised to find it neater than she’d ever seen it.

She sat at the piano, lifting the lid reverentially and running her hands over the keys. For a moment she let the silence hold.

She began to play. The notes floated softly about the room, making her smile, bringing back a dozen good memories. She went through several of the songs she’d written with Luke.

Her mind kept trying to circle back to those awful weeks last year when the fever had hit, so she played harder, refusing to let it make her crumble. Those times were over, she reminded herself. She was safe, along with everyone she loved.

It had been a relief, letting go of her anger (though they weren’t quite off the hook just yet). It had gotten harder and harder to ignore the stash of apologies in the drawer, especially the ones written in memorably awful handwriting. And she’d missed the uncomplicated fun she always had in their company. To them, she could never be the sad disappointment she was to the rest of Treegap.

She went out to the cabin as often as she could over the next few days, squeezing in visits between her tutoring and chores. She liked what it was now; what it meant. A month ago it had been closed up and full of dust, and now it was littered with notebooks full of songs. Five different instruments were leant against the hearth; a basket of picks sat on the windowsill; there was always a pile of new firewood stacked beside the stove.

Someday soon, she thought, she should bring Carlos here. He’d like to see it full of life again.

Mostly by accident, Julie was in the cabin when the guys came back. Her heart lifted to hear their voices outside. She darted to the window, watching as they carried their battered cases up the dirt path.

‘Hey!’ she called out from the open doorway. They looked up at her and smiled.

Luke, though, looked a little confused. ‘I thought you were done with us?’ he said gently as he lifted his bag inside.

Julie lifted her eyes to meet his.

‘I said I was done with the _band_ ,’ she said. ‘For a few more days, at least.’

He still looked curious. She gave him another slow smile, and after a moment, he returned it.

‘Alright, then…’ He dropped his case beside the door. ‘How should we celebrate?’

‘Food?’ suggested Reggie.

‘We don’t have any,’ Alex reminded him.

Luke picked up his guitar and slung the strap over his shoulder. ‘We could practice?’

Julie flumped onto Luke’s couch, tucking her feet up. ‘No practice,’ she said. ‘Not right now, anyway.’

They sent her questioning looks.

‘I’ve been thinking. How about instead of looking out for new gigs, we just… get better for a while? Grow as a band? It still feels like there’s so much I don’t know about you guys.’

They exchanged glances before taking seats of their own.

‘Sure, we can do that,’ said Reggie. Alex was nodding.

Julie raised an eyebrow. ‘And no gigs with Caleb, either,’ she said tartly.

Luke’s smile came easier this time. ‘No complaints here. Hey, we could show you around Treegap.’

Julie gave him a look of absolute disbelief. ‘I _live_ here.’

‘I know,’ he said, all confidence. ‘But I bet there are parts of it you haven’t seen.’

Reggie looked at Luke, then back at Julie, a smile on his own face. ‘Do you have anywhere to be today?’

Julie was still suspicious. ‘It’s the weekend. I told my dad I’d be here in the cabin all day.’

‘Then we can go exploring,’ said Luke.

‘What, right now? Didn’t you say you were hungry?’

Reggie shrugged. ‘Not hungry so much as… interested in food.’

‘Do you guys even need to eat?’

‘No,’ he said miserably. ‘We just like to.’

‘Let’s go,’ said Luke impatiently. He jumped up, shooting glances at the others until they joined him.

Julie rolled her eyes, smiling a little. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Sure. By all means, show me around my own town.’

Reggie grinned at her, offering his arm. ‘You mean _our_ town.’

‘Whatever you say, Reggie.’

The four of them stepped out into the sunshine.

* * *

Treegap and the river that marked out its boundaries were set in a valley where the land dipped, ever so slightly. On the hills surrounding it, the forest spread out, sycamore trees populating the horizon for miles. The spring itself was set in a recess of one of these hills, and it was in that direction that Reggie led them.

They hiked up past the spring and above the valley, following a dirt trail that was barely two feet wide. Out here, the air was thick with birdsong and the mellow chirping of frogs and cicadas. They stayed quiet for a while.

Julie enjoyed it for the first hour or so, soaking in the calm. Then it began to dawn on her just how long they’d been walking uphill, and just how steep the continuing path in front of them was.

‘Do you guys not get tired or something?’ she grumbled. ‘I don’t know if I can take much more of this.’

Alex tossed her a bag of trail mix, which she barely caught. ‘Here.’

‘It’s all worth it when you get to the top,’ said Luke. ‘Trust me.’

‘The top of _what?_ I can’t even _see_ a top.’

‘You will,’ he said, and turned round to flash her a smile.

He picked up the pace, and Julie rolled her eyes, sensing he was showing off. But she couldn’t help smiling too.

The hill only got steeper the further up they climbed, and rockier. They went in single file, Julie in the middle so she wouldn’t fall, and every now and then she had to reach out a hand to one of the others where the reach was a little too high.

Luke and Reggie were the first to scramble over the top, and they reached down to pull Julie up after them. Finding herself on a flat expanse, she huffed and leant over with her hands on her knees, catching her breath.

Alex was the last to climb up, and the three of them stood together to smile down at her. ‘Don’t you wanna see the view?’ said Luke.

Julie shot him a waspish look. She straightened up and took in another sharp breath.

The trail had opened out onto a wide, grassy verge, lined with sycamores and sloping up to a natural crest of rock that looked out onto the whole valley. Beside them was a small pond fringed with waterlilies, azure dragonflies flitting over its surface.

Slowly, Julie walked up to the very edge, where a gap in the trees opened out into a view like none she’d ever seen.

For a long moment she stood there, at a loss for words, staring out at everything she’d ever known. The cabin was a small smudge on the horizon, Main Street barely any bigger. Right out in the distance, she could see the rows of new buildings and neatly paved streets of Hollywood. And for the first time Julie could appreciate just how high the trees towered. They presided over the valley like a calm group of elders, stirring in a gentle breeze. The river snaked through it all in a turquoise ribbon.

‘This… this is incredible,’ she murmured after a while.

‘And you’ve never been here before?’ prompted Reggie, sounding smug.

Julie rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, so no, I haven’t been here before. Congratulations.’

To her surprise, Alex ducked behind an oak that had grown improbably up the side of the hill and came back with four wooden fold-up chairs. He and the others set them down at the edge of the pond, where the ground was smoothest.

‘Four chairs?’

‘The other one was for Bobby,’ explained Luke.

Reggie pulled a face. ‘Traitor.’

As the others sat down, Reggie pulled a wooden box from where it was stashed underneath some rocks. He opened it and passed everyone a bottle of root beer.

The stone and the nearby water had kept them nice and cool. Once again, Julie was secretly impressed.

‘Did you guys come up here a lot?’ she asked, twisting the cap off her root beer.

‘All the time,’ said Alex. ‘Weird that no one else seems to’ve found it.’

Julie was quiet. She was thinking about the rumours that these woods would be gone soon, turned into property developments. That gorgeous view, all of those towering sycamores and the leaves that shone gold in the sun – would all of that disappear too?

She felt a jolt in her stomach as she realised the guys might not know. She didn’t recall ever mentioning it.

Alex was frowning at her a little. ‘What’s up?’ he asked.

She looked round at them all for a moment. The words almost came out, but she hesitated.

They would only be here for the summer. There was no need for them to get caught up in what Mr Wilson was planning. It would only make them angrier at him – perhaps to the point of irrationality – and besides, they’d lost so much already.

‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘I just can’t believe you kept a stash up here.’ She took another peek inside the wooden box and a few more bottles clinked against each other.

‘It gets hot in the sun,’ said Reggie. ‘We were thirsty.’

It was a warm day – the kind that always made Julie a little sleepy. After a while she left her rickety chair to loll against an oak tree, looking out at that magnificent view, nearby enough not to miss the conversation.

Eventually Luke joined her. Reggie and Alex were leaning on their stomachs in front of the pond, watching the frogs, and he and Julie exchanged private smirks as he settled in beside her.

For a while they were quiet, content to enjoy the atmosphere.

Eventually Julie spoke. ‘Reggie and Alex told me where you guys were going.’

Luke turned to face her, looking unsure. ‘They told you about my mom?’

She nodded. ‘I’m so sorry, Luke. I know what it feels like to lose someone.’

After a moment his expression softened. ‘Yeah. I know you do.’

There was another moment of quiet.

‘What was her name?’ asked Julie, her voice hushed.

Luke was looking out over the crest of the hill, his gaze focused somewhere in the trees. ‘Emily.’

There was a quiet grief in his voice that Julie knew all too well. In silence, with her heart in her mouth, she slowly reached for his hand.

Luke glanced at her in surprise as she gave his hand a small squeeze. Just as she tried to withdraw it, he closed his fingers around hers, and gave her a small smile.

They looked out at the view again, and sat together in the quiet.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! just a quick note to say I've added my personal playlist for this fic in the description - it's about 80% Taylor Swift, sorry. It follows the story if you listen in order; we're up to about Crazier now. thanks so much as ever for the engagement, it really means the world!

They stayed up on the hill for hours, soaking in the sun and drinking soda, watching clouds move across the sky. For a while Julie forgot about what might happen to the woods, about her disastrous Fourth of July, even about the fever. She felt, for the first time in a while, a sense of overarching bliss.

As the day got cooler and the peachy pink of the sky turned lilac, Julie felt a flush of guilt for staying out so long. She stood, her thighs a little numb from the slats of the chair.

‘I should really get back. My dad is gonna be worried.’

She caught the dismay in their expressions, though it didn’t stay long. They glanced up at the sky and finally seemed to notice the brightness slowly leaching from the daylight.

‘We’ll walk you back,’ said Alex. ‘There isn’t much of a moon tonight.’

Julie nodded, glad of it. The trail was easier on the way down, but not by much.

When they neared Main Street, she laughed to see them put their domino masks on.

‘You guys carry those all the time?’

‘Just in case,’ said Reggie defensively.

Julie gave him a nudge with her elbow. ‘I thought you wanted to meet my dad?’ she said, grinning.

He smiled back. ‘Aw, I’d take it off for Ray any time.’

They said their goodbyes in the shadows of her house, voices hushed. Luke was the last to walk away, shooting her a warm smile that set something off in her chest. Julie watched them leave.

She crept inside.

The floorboards creaked under her feet. Muttering a silent curse under her breath, she stepped further in, her eyes adjusting to the low light.

Sat beside one low-burning lamp at the dining table was her father. He sat up straighter when he saw her, the chair creaking behind him. Julie jumped badly and shook it off with nervous laughter.

‘Dad! What are you still doing up?’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘I was waiting for you, mija.’ His eyes twinkled as he smiled at her. ‘Got caught up at the cabin?’

The lie felt bad, but she was relieved to have it so readily handed to her. ‘Yeah.’

‘I’m glad,’ he said sincerely. ‘It’s been a long time since you’ve done that. It’s a huge step, Julie.’

Julie said nothing, her cheeks flushing.

‘It’s… it’s nice to see you happy,’ said Ray. ‘So when will your old dad get to see you play?’

‘Soon,’ she promised, relieved not to be lying anymore. ‘First chance we get.’

‘Well, did you hear Carrie’s planning another party?’

Julie scrunched up her face in distaste. ‘Eww, Dad. Not what I meant. Besides, I don’t think _Carrie_ would give me a chance to perform.’

Some of the light dimmed in Ray’s eyes. He pulled out another chair and gestured for her to sit.

‘I wish you two girls would talk things out,’ he said heavily. He held his palms up. ‘But I know, I know, Carrie’s mean now, and things aren’t the same, and blah blah blah.’

Julie folded her arms, giving her father a cynical look.

‘If Carrie’s masquerade party isn’t an option, maybe we could do our own thing,’ he went on. ‘A little party just for the people we’d want to see. You can invite whoever you want.’

‘What, really?’

Ray nodded. Julie went round the table to give him a hug.

‘Thanks, Dad.’ After a moment she pulled back. ‘Did you say it’s a masquerade party?’

He smiled. ‘Don’t worry, Julie, I’m not going to make you wear a costume. But your brother might.’

‘We might not even get invited.’ Julie let out a yawn, her limbs heavy all of a sudden. ‘I’m heading upstairs. Goodnight, Papi.’

‘Sleep well, sweetheart.’

Even though her mind was in a whirl, thoughts of songs and parties and Phantoms all jostling for attention, Julie found it easy to fall asleep. Weary from the long trip up the hill, and feeling far less sick at heart than she had the day before, she was gone almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

The next morning was an early one for Alex. He took his rowboat out on the river for a while, hoping to clear his head, but when he returned to the cabin it was as fogged as ever.

Luke and Reggie were both in the main room, sat scribbling in notebooks in companionable silence. The unusual quiet unnerved Alex a little.

He sat down with his drums. Then he went through to look at their empty cupboards, sighing a little. He went back through, bouncing his knee and looking out of the window.

When he got up once again, Luke closed his notebook and raised his eyebrows. ‘Something wrong, Alex?’

‘Sorry.’ He flumped back down in his seat. ‘I just – I’m worried about Willie. I haven’t seen him since Caleb’s.’

Reggie looked up. ‘You think they were in league together, or something?’

Alex squirmed. ‘I don’t think so. I don’t think Willie would sell us out like that.’

Luke and Reggie exchanged uncertain glances.

‘He wouldn’t,’ repeated Alex defensively. ‘I should talk to him. Find out what was going on.’

A broad smile spread over Luke’s face. ‘Alex, do you _like_ him?’

‘What? No, I —’

‘No, man, it’s nice,’ said Luke, still smiling.

‘He is _very_ handsome,’ said Reggie. ‘And he drank from the spring. So, you know, he’s sticking around.’

Alex’s cheeks were pink. ‘Yeah. I mean, yeah, exactly. He drank from the spring. So it’s worth at least figuring out how exactly he’s connected to Caleb.’ He coughed. ‘I mean, maybe we could get to know him a bit more. Just since we’re in the same weird immortality boat, you know?’

‘Yeah,’ said Luke, slightly smug. ‘We know.’

‘Alright.’ Alex stood again, feeling better now the decision was resolved. ‘I’m gonna head into LA.’

Luke and Reggie gave him wide smiles. He headed to the door, feeling bolstered.

He faltered again. ‘If, um,’ he began. ‘If things go well, would it be cool if I invited him here some time? Just, you know, since we’re in the same boat and all.’

‘You don’t have to _ask_ ,’ said Luke, beaming.

‘Yeah,’ put in Reggie. ‘We have Julie here all the time.’ And he gave Luke a sidelong glance that made Alex grin.

Luke frowned. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Nothing,’ Alex said, swinging the door open and shutting it firmly behind him.

* * *

When Alex found Willie in his favourite part of Los Angeles, he seemed genuinely pleased to see him, but there was a sense of anxiety that hadn’t existed before. He was reluctant to mention Caleb at all, though he gave him a stream of apologies for their missing the Fourth of July party.

They ambled along together slowly, Willie’s arms half-folded. Alex was desperate to erase the tension somehow.

‘Have you, uh… Have you ever been in a rowboat?’

Willie glanced at him, curious. ‘No, I haven’t,’ he said. ‘Why, you gonna tell me you’re a sailor?’

Alex smiled, shaking his head a little. ‘Okay. I guess so, yeah. I have a boat out on the river; it used to be my dad’s.’

He hoped Willie wouldn’t ask about that, and mercifully he didn’t.

‘No way! She have a name?’

‘Mary Ann,’ he admitted. ‘I can’t remember why.’ Alex put his hands in his pockets, scuffing a shoe against the pavement. ‘Maybe we could go rowing some time. If you head out far enough there are some incredible lakes.’

Finally he won that soft smile, Willie’s eyes lighting up the way he’d hoped they would. ‘You mean it?’

‘Yeah,’ he murmured. ‘Of course.’

And Willie looked happy, until he didn’t. His smile faltered and he looked at the ground.

‘Listen,’ he said. ‘I – I need to tell you something.’

Alex’s heart somersaulted. A quick succession of possibilities presented themselves, each mortifying and unbearable, until Willie spoke again.

‘It’s Caleb,’ he continued. ‘He’s been asking about you guys non stop. He figured out that there’s something different about you, and he wants to know exactly what it is. It’s getting harder and harder not to tell him anything.’

He shifted uncomfortably as Alex’s eyes widened in horror.

‘There are rumours,’ he said, dropping his voice, ‘that Caleb’s into some pretty dark stuff. Alchemy or something. Apparently he’s way older than he says he is.’

‘You don’t think he…’

Willie shook his head. ‘I’m sure he doesn’t know about the spring. He’s not like us; he can get hurt. I think he’s ageing, just… very slowly.’

Alex leaned a little closer to him. ‘Are you safe with him?’ he asked. ‘He’s not… threatening you somehow, is he?’

‘Not in the way I think you mean. Listen, in a lot of ways, I’m safer with Caleb than anywhere else. It’s just that I owe him so much.’ He swallowed. ‘I’m indebted to him, and he knows it.’

‘So… so, what, you think he might force you to tell him about the spring?’

‘I hope not,’ said Willie quietly. ‘I know it has to be kept secret. I don’t think I could find it again if I tried, if it comes to that.’

They’d come to a stop. Alex looked at him for a long moment.

He put a hand on Willie’s arm. ‘I trust you,’ he said finally. He looked up, meeting his eyes.

Willie gave him a wry smile. ‘What about your bandmates?’

‘They’ll trust you because I do. Anyway, I already talked to them. You’re welcome with us.’

His cheeks flushed pink as he realised what he’d said, and a mischievous spark entered Willie’s eyes. ‘You talked to them about me?’

‘Uh, well, I – you know, we’re… in the same… boat…’ He trailed off, every sense screaming at him to shut up. His face had never felt so warm.

Willie laughed. ‘Okay. Speaking of boats, I wanna take you up on that. Give Mary Ann a spin.’

‘What, really? Right now?’

‘Yeah,’ he said. He took Alex’s hand, as if that were something easy to do, as if he could do it any moment he pleased. ‘Why not? Come on.’

A laugh escaped from Alex as he let himself be pulled along. ‘Alright,’ he said breathlessly. ‘Sure. Why not?’


	18. Chapter 18

By the time they’d walked halfway up the river, all the tension in Willie seemed to have evaporated. He was looking around at their surroundings with a broad smile.

Alex, though, was struggling to breathe. All he could think about was how their arms brushed together as they walked, and sometimes their knuckles.

This was better, though, than the usual anxiety – it wasn’t exactly panic crawling up his chest; this was more of a flutter, something bright and gentle. Something he wanted to hold onto.

For some reason he was relieved to see Mary Ann anchored on the river as usual, as though she may not have been somehow. Willie hopped in as he pulled it clear from the bank, offering him a hand once it was free.

Once they were on the water, Alex felt calmer again. He knew this; the steady, reassuring sound of the oars against the surface, the hum of crickets and birds. He’d taken the boat out with Luke and Reggie so many times, both before they’d had to leave Treegap and after, and the memories made him smile.

For a while there was a companionable quiet. Alex watched Willie take it all in, gazing out at the river and the surrounding willows, until finally he looked back at Alex and smiled.

‘You do this a lot?’

‘Yeah,’ said Alex. ‘It was one of the things I missed the most when we had to leave Treegap. We couldn’t bring the boat.’

Willie tilted his gaze ever so slightly. ‘Must have been hard on you guys to leave, huh?’

Alex concentrated on the rowing for a moment. They were near to where the river opened out into a wide body of water, surrounded by hills and pine trees.

‘Yeah,’ he said finally. ‘It was. On Luke the most, I guess. He was always the most tied to the people around us.’ He hesitated. ‘It helped that his parents weren’t the worst.’

‘Well, you’re back now,’ replied Willie. ‘Does it help? Being home?’

Alex smiled a little. ‘It’s weird. You wouldn’t think everything could change so much in twenty-five years. But it’s almost a completely different place.’

Willie sighed. ‘I get that. Our homes can disappear even as we’re watching them.’

Alex noted the melancholy in his face. For a moment they were quiet.

They’d reached the widening part of the river. The rowboat bobbed gently on the water as it skimmed the pebbles below, gliding out into the open water with no more effort needed from Alex. He guided it gently nearer the middle and rested the oars on the floor of the boat.

From there, everywhere around them was vast open space. The water was a clear, perfect turquoise, fish darting visibly beneath the surface, and beyond the riverbank pine trees shimmered in the warm July breeze.

Since returning to Treegap, Alex hadn’t had a day empty enough to justify a trip out here, and now the sight took his breath away. Aware of Willie opposite him, he leant back for a moment, soaking in every part of it.

‘Sure is quiet out here, huh?’

He turned his gaze back to Willie. His face was nonchalant, but there was a glimmer of mischief in it, sparking Alex’s curiosity.

‘Nothing out here for miles,’ Alex said. ‘Except the birds and the salmon, I guess.’

‘Probably a good place to practice the drums,’ commented Willie.

Alex was taken aback with a laugh. ‘I guess so, if they weren’t such a hassle to bring on the boat.’

‘So you don’t come out here to make a lot of noise?’

‘No,’ said Alex, intrigued. ‘The opposite, usually.’

Willie held his gaze for a moment, the tilt of his mouth ever so slightly crooked. ‘So you leave all your shows as soon as you finish playing,’ he said, ‘and aside from this girl whose mom owned your cabin, you can’t talk to anyone who has an expiration date. Apart from music, what do you guys do to leave your stamp on the world?’

‘Leave our stamp?’

‘Yeah! You know, to make your mark. To tell people that you’re here; you’re alive.’

Alex considered this for a moment. He had his own theory that really, they technically _weren’t_ alive, but he didn’t want to dampen the mood.

‘Apart from music?’ he said. ‘I guess nothing.’

Willie grinned broadly. Then, to Alex’s shock, he stood up.

‘That changes right now,’ said Willie.

Alex spluttered out another laugh. ‘We’re on a _boat!_ ’

But Willie’s hands were already on his arms, tugging him to his feet and holding him steady. ‘You won’t fall, I promise.’

The feeling of the boat lurching underneath them was terrifying, but not as terrifying as the thought of letting whatever was happening here flicker out. So he stood, even though Mary Ann was at least as old as his grandmother and possibly older than _her_ grandmother, and tried to keep his balance.

‘Alright,’ he said, grinning despite himself. ‘What now?’

‘Now you yell,’ said Willie. ‘As loud as you can.’

‘You want me to _yell_?’

‘Yeah. Like this.’ Willie edged backwards, seemingly oblivious to the wobbling of the boat, and braced his feet. Cupping his hands to his mouth, he let out a wordless yell.

Alex half shook his head, amazed. He half expected birds to retreat from the trees, squawking their indignation. Willie was beaming, and the strange sense of pride in his face made Alex laugh again.

‘Now it’s your turn.’

‘Really?’

Willie nodded.

Alex resigned himself to it. Most of his attention was on staying upright; he was glad that the river was relatively still here, a far cry from the rushing currents further out. Trying to keep himself steady, he yelled – sort of.

Willie laughed. ‘What was _that_? Man, if you got lost in a forest, nobody would find you.’

Alex shot him a wary look, which was met with another disarming smile.

He forced himself to forget about the river underneath them. _You’re literally immortal,_ he admonished himself. He took in a breath and shouted again, properly this time.

Willie grinned and yelled back, and for a minute they went back and forth until they found the boat tipping perilously.

‘Whoa!’ Willie lunged forward to help Alex keep his balance, saving him from falling just in time. For a minute they clung to each other’s sleeves, laughing helplessly.

‘So this is what you do for fun?’ said Alex teasingly once he’d caught his breath.

‘What, you mean you’re _not_ having fun?’

Alex smiled slowly, holding Willie’s arm a little bit tighter. ‘I never said that.’

* * *

The invitations for Carrie’s masquerade party went out the next day.

She had stood in the aisle after the Sunday church service, handing lacquered cards to families filing out of the pews, giving everyone a bright smile – or almost everyone. As Julie had predicted, the Molinas weren’t invited.

Julie wasn’t particularly disappointed, but Carlos and Ray looked a little put out. She didn’t know why they were still surprised, but the looks on their faces stung all the same.

Mr Wilson had seemed surprised too. He’d glanced between Carrie and Julie, his brow furrowed, and it seemed to occur to him for the first time that the friendship between their daughters had developed a major rift.

Julie was itching to get out to the cabin, but according to her aunt she’d had far too many sociable Sundays this summer already. Instead she sat through several gruelling hours of embroidery, trying not to smirk at the faces Carlos made behind Victoria’s back. She tried not to let her mind wander too often to what might be going on across the river.

Ray waited until breakfast the next morning, when it was just the three of them again, to posit his plan for their own party. He brought it up casually – as if it had nothing to do with Carrie’s behaviour the day before; as if it were pure coincidence that his proposed date was two days before hers. Julie had to suppress a knowing grin.

Flynn came over in the afternoon, deeply impressed with the plan when Julie told her. They walked down into the garden and Flynn sat on the wooden rope swing that hung from the boughs of the willow. Julie settled on the grass opposite, tucking her knees under her, smiling at Flynn as she twisted the rope around and spun.

‘So the plan is for you to perform?’ Flynn asked.

‘Yep.’

‘With or without the guys?’

Julie sighed. ‘I don’t know. Maybe we could get them invited somehow? Then we could do a set together.’

Flynn smiled. ‘You know, Carrie would be pretty jealous if you got them to perform.’

Julie rolled her eyes. ‘I’m pretty sure she’s booked something great. No expense spared, and all.’ She scowled and tugged at a clump of grass. ‘She’ll probably get that slimy circus man.’

‘Hey,’ said Flynn gently. ‘You guys are good enough that Covington tried to poach them, remember? And it’s not like it’s a competition…’

The look on her face suggested she very much _did_ think it was a competition, but Julie ignored this.

‘…But if it were, you guys would totally win.’ Flynn gave her a smug grin.

‘Thanks, Flynn. I’m glad we have you on our side.’ 

Flynn kept twirling the ropes of the swing for a moment, a look on her face that Julie knew meant she was plotting.

‘So the Phantoms have a reputation,’ she mused. ‘With _and_ without you. So maybe that’s how you get them in?’

Julie frowned. ‘How do you mean?’

Flynn released the ropes, stretching her legs out as the swing spun her round. ‘I mean,’ she said, ‘you can tell your dad you want them to play for your party. And then you play _with_ them, as a surprise.’

‘Flynn! That’s perfect!’

‘I know,’ she replied, sounding satisfied. ‘You can thank me later.’

‘Well, you’ll be our guest of honour.’

Flynn got off the swing to give Julie a mock-curtsey. ‘I’d better.’ She sat again and her expression became more pensive. ‘Is your dad gonna invite Nick?’

‘I think so,’ said Julie. ‘He’s… he’s our friend. Although I guess he might not take it well if I sing with the guys after what happened at his party.’

‘Jules, he won’t hold it against you,’ insisted Flynn. ‘You’ve said it yourself; he’s a sweetheart.’

Julie was quiet for a moment. A sly spark came into Flynn’s expression.

‘You know, I’m sure Nick would appreciate it if you dedicated a song to him,’ she said, mock-casually.

Julie lifted an eyebrow. ‘Haven’t we already had this conversation?’ she said dryly.

Flynn matched her expression. ‘A similar one, maybe. It’s just something to think about, Jules.’

‘I know, I know.’ Julie sighed. ‘The thing is, Flynn, Nick isn’t really the one I’m thinking about.’

A look of triumph came into Flynn’s face. Before she could announce it, Julie dashed behind the swing and gave it a push.

‘Say nothing, okay?’ she said, darting out of the way.

Flynn laughed and propelled the swing higher. ‘Sure. Word of guest-of-honour.’

Julie kept pushing the swing. Very graciously, Flynn allowed her to turn the conversation to music.


End file.
